"Love follows knowledge."
"Beauty above all beauty!"
– St. Catherine of Siena

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Notable Quote: Poverty in Youth by Victor Hugo, from Les Misérables

I’ve been picking up where I left off in Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, and there are so many notable quotes I come across I could post one of these every night.  But I wanted to post at least post one.  I’m in Volume III, titled, Marius, where the author traces the life of Marius from his childhood to where he meets Cosette.  Here, he has been turned out of his house by his grandfather over political disputes, and Marius struggles to live on a small income.  Hugo then rhapsodizes on youth and poverty.

Poverty in youth, when it succeeds, has this magnificent property about it, that it turns the whole will towards effort, and the whole soul towards aspiration. Poverty instantly lays material life bare and renders it hideous; hence inexpressible bounds towards the ideal life. The wealthy young man has a hundred coarse and brilliant distractions, horse races, hunting, dogs, tobacco, gaming, good repasts, and all the rest of it; occupations for the baser side of the soul, at the expense of the loftier and more delicate sides. The poor young man wins his bread with difficulty; he eats; when he has eaten, he has nothing more but meditation. He goes to the spectacles which God furnishes gratis; he gazes at the sky, space, the stars, flowers, children, the humanity among which he is suffering, the creation amid which he beams. He gazes so much on humanity that he perceives its soul, he gazes upon creation to such an extent that he beholds God. He dreams, he feels himself great; he dreams on, and feels himself tender. From the egotism of the man who suffers he passes to the compassion of the man who meditates. An admirable sentiment breaks forth in him, forgetfulness of self and pity for all. As he thinks of the innumerable enjoyments which nature offers, gives, and lavishes to souls which stand open, and refuses to souls that are closed, he comes to pity, he the millionnaire of the mind, the millionnaire of money. All hatred departs from his heart, in proportion as light penetrates his spirit. And is he unhappy? No. The misery of a young man is never miserable. The first young lad who comes to hand, however poor he may be, with his strength, his health, his rapid walk, his brilliant eyes, his warmly circulating blood, his black hair, his red lips, his white teeth, his pure breath, will always arouse the envy of an aged emperor. And then, every morning, he sets himself afresh to the task of earning his bread; and while his hands earn his bread, his dorsal column gains pride, his brain gathers ideas. His task finished, he returns to ineffable ecstasies, to contemplation, to joys; he beholds his feet set in afflictions, in obstacles, on the pavement, in the nettles, sometimes in the mire; his head in the light. He is firm serene, gentle, peaceful, attentive, serious, content with little, kindly; and he thanks God for having bestowed on him those two forms of riches which many a rich man lacks: work, which makes him free; and thought, which makes him dignified.  (Vol III, Book 5, Chapter III)


I will say that’s great quote, though overly romanticized.  I’ve seen where poverty makes young men cruel and greedy, so I can’t vouch for the universality of Hugo’s vision.  Still one can see by his vows of poverty the mendicant religious in that quote.  Poverty can bring you closer to God.


4 comments:

  1. LOVED reading this post! My family and I have been on a minimizing journey over the past two years that has really opened our eyes to the vanity of excess. God bless you for sharing this...it was an inspiration to me.

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  2. If I were to personalize this quote, I would see it through the lens of modern times and envision my life with much less social media and TV. I know that during times of fasting and prayer, I experience something very similar. It's as though my eyes become clearer, my heart less burdened, my thoughts sharper for having been turned toward God and away from the world. The quote speaks of the burdens and distractions of the vanity of possessions, and all that it takes to obtain and maintain them. Our age is full of just plain vanity, we broadcast our every thought over the airwaves until it is so saturated with human folly that hasn't allowed a moment's realization of God's omnipresence and ominpotence.
    Yes I do realize I am saying this while I type on a computer, haha. There is a lot of good to be found in our modern technology, but as anything, learning to use it with discipline, prudence and moderation is my goal.
    I agree that the quote id romanticized, but I don't think it is far off the mark.
    God Bless. :)

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