"'Extremes meet', as the whiting said with its tail in its mouth"

This quote by Thomas Hood is an amusing way of saying that 2 opposite things can come together. The expression "extremes meet" is a metaphor for 2 opposite things coming together. The phrase is made more amusing by the image of a whiting, a type of fish, saying it with its tail in its mouth. This image is a visual representation of 2 opposite things coming together, as the tail and mouth of the fish are at opposite ends of its body.

The quote is a reminder that 2 opposite things can come together which it is possible to find common ground in between 2 different viewpoints. It is also a suggestion that even in the most extreme scenarios, it is possible to discover a way to come together and discover a solution. The quote is a funny way of advising us that even in the most severe circumstances, it is possible to discover a method to come together and discover an option.