Quotation Notation
"Every cloud has a silver lining."
&mdash Phineas T. Barnum
Once they hear this quote, some people, if they are outside, look up into the sky, and look at the clouds. They may say they don't see a silver lining on a cloud. But, this quote doesn't mean clouds have silver linings. It is something that people say to others to comfort someone when they are having problems. What this quote really means is that it is always possible to get something positive out of a situation, no matter how difficult or painful it seems. In other words, the quote means that there is always a good side to a problem. Once you think about it, it can seem true.
This quote has a history from many years back. The origin of this quote came from John Milton's 'Cormus' from 1634 with these lines: "Was I deceiv'd, or did a sable cloud turn forth her silver lining on the night?". Then, Charles Dickens, in his novel Bleak House written in 1852, reworded the phrase: "I turn my silver lining like Milton's cloud.". Then, finally, in 1869, Phineas T. Barnum reworded it as we know it today. Sometimes, when you hear this quote, you may think the meaning is something else, for example, you may think that just because you don't see something, doesn't mean it's not there. Well, good for you! There is no right and wrong with the meaning of quotes, all that matters is that they inspire you, or you just put care into thinking about them.