Original artwork, not a still
A Soul's Tragedy · 1846
I judge people by what they might be,—not are, nor will be.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Judgment here favors potential over present or future certainty. Rather than fixating on who someone currently is or predicting who they'll become, the speaker chooses to weigh what a person is capable of. It's a generous standard that values possibility above fixed identity.
Context reviewed
