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
Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart; I breathe at this hour the fragrance of the lilacs, the violets, and the roses, as at twenty years ago.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Despite the passage of time and the challenges of aging, a person's inner joy and vibrancy can remain youthful.
Victor Hugo's quote reflects the contrast between the external signs of aging, represented by 'winter on my head', and the enduring spirit of youth and love for life that resides within, symbolized by 'eternal spring in my heart'. It suggests that while our physical bodies may change with time, our inner essence and appreciation for beauty can remain vibrant and unchanged, allowing us to experience life's joys as we did in our youth.
Themes
AgingYouthJoyInner SpiritNatureBeauty
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about embracing life as we age, one might say this quote to inspire others to focus on their inner happiness.
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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