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
Whoever does not visit Paris regularly will never really be elegant.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Elegance is experienced through cultural immersion, particularly in Paris.
This quote suggests that exposure to the beauty, culture, and sophistication of Paris is essential for developing a true sense of elegance. Balzac implies that elegance transcends mere appearance, rooted deeply in one's experiences and appreciation of art and city life.
Themes
EleganceParisCultureArtSophistication
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on fashion at a gala, you might say this quote to emphasize the importance of cultural experiences in shaping one's style.
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Who is to decide which is the grimmer sight: withered hearts, or empty skulls?
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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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