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January 30, 2007

proust on happiness

Happiness is beneficial for the body but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind. It is true that grief, which is not compatible with happiness or health, is sometimes prejudicial also to life. In the end, sorrow kills.

As for happiness, it has hardly more than one useful quality, namely to make unhappiness possible. In our happiness, we should form very sweet bonds, full of confidence and attachment, in order that the sundering of them may cause us that priceless rending of the heart which is called unhappiness.

Works of art, like artesian wells, mount higher in proportion as the suffering has more deeply pierced the heart.


Marcel Proust

Posted by amin at January 30, 2007 1:58 AM