It seemed to be a necessary ritual that he should prepare himself for sleep by meditating under the solemnity of the night sky... a mysterious transaction between the infinity of the soul and the infinity of the universe.
Victor HugoRead
Great buildings, like great mountains, are the work of centuries.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Both monumental structures and natural landscapes take a long time to develop and appreciate.
In this quote, Victor Hugo draws a parallel between the creation of great buildings and the formation of majestic mountains, emphasizing that both require not only significant time but also effort and dedication. Just as mountains are shaped over centuries by natural forces, great architecture is the result of perseverance, vision, and the cumulative expertise of generations of builders and artisans.
Themes
ArchitectureTimeEffortDedicationGreatness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a construction project launch to inspire the team.
More from Victor Hugo
All quotes →When two mouths, made sacred by love, draw near to each other to create, it is impossible, that above that ineffable kiss there should not be a thrill in the immense mystery of the stars.
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At that moment of love, a moment when passion is absolutely silent under omnipotence of ecstasy, Marius, pure seraphic Marius, would have been more capable of visiting a woman of the streets than of raising Cosette’s dress above the ankle. Once on a moonlit night, Cosette stopped to pick up something from the ground, her dress loosened and revealed the swelling of her breasts. Marius averted his eyes.
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Thought is the work of the intellect, reverie is its self-indulgence. To substitute day-dreaming for thought is to confuse a poison with a source of nourishment.
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Taste is the common sense of genius.
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Forget not, never forget that you have promised me to use this silver to become an honest man.... Jean Valjean, my brother: you belong no longer to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!
Victor HugoRead
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