One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.
Honore De BalzacRead
Thought is a key to all treasures; the miser's gains are ours without his cares. Thus I have soared above this world, where my enjoyment have been intellectual joys.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the value of intellectual thought over material possessions and the freedom that comes from appreciating knowledge.
Honore De Balzac conveys that true treasures lie not in material wealth, but in the richness of thought and intellect. By shifting focus from the possessions hoarded by misers to the joys found in intellectual pursuits, he illustrates how one can transcend the limitations of the material world and find deeper satisfaction in knowledge and ideas.
Themes
ThoughtIntellectTreasureWisdomEnjoyment
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about the value of knowledge over material wealth.
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However gross a man may be, the minute he expresses a strong and genuine affection, some inner secretion alters his features, animates his gestures, and colors his voice. The stupidest man will often, under the stress of passion, achieve heights of eloquence, in thought if not in language, and seem to move in some luminous sphere. Goriot's voice and gesture had at this moment the power of communication that characterizes the great actor. Are not our finer feelings the poems of the human will?
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Love is a religion, and its rituals cost more than those of other religions. It goes by quickly and, like a street urchin, it likes to mark its passage by a trail of devastation.
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