That which is not slightly distorted lacks sensible appeal; from which it follows that irregularity β that is to say, the unexpected, surprise and astonishment, are a essential part and characteristic of beauty.
Charles BaudelaireRead
The form of a town changes more swiftly alas! Than the heart of a mortal.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The physical changes in a town occur more rapidly than the emotional changes in a person's heart.
In this quote, Baudelaire reflects on the contrast between the swift transformations of urban spaces and the slow, often resistant evolution of human emotions. While towns and cities can be altered quickly through development or renovation, the feelings, attachments, and emotional experiences of individuals tend to evolve at a much slower pace, highlighting the complexity of human nature compared to the material world.
Themes
ChangeTownHeartEmotionTransformation
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a discussion about urban development and its impact on community emotions.
More from Charles Baudelaire
All quotes βThe dance can reveal everything mysterious that is hidden in music, and it has the additional merit of being human and palpable. Dancing is poetry with arms and legs.
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Who among us has not dreamt, in moments of ambition, of the miracle of a poetic prose, musical without rhythm and rhyme, supple and staccato enough to adapt to the lyrical stirrings of the soul, the undulations of dreams, and sudden leaps of consciousness.
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There is no sweeter pleasure than to surprise a man by giving him more than he hopes for.
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The priest is an immense being because he makes the crowd believe astonishing things.
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I consider it useless and tedious to represent what exists, because nothing that exists satisfies me. Nature is ugly, and I prefer the monsters of my fancy to what is positively trivial.
Charles BaudelaireRead
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