People exaggerate both happiness and unhappiness; we are never so fortunate nor so unfortunate as people say we are.
• Modeste Mignon (1844), translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley, ch. XXIV: The Poet Feels That He Is Loved Too Well
• Modeste Mignon (1844), translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley, ch. XXIV: The Poet Feels That He Is Loved Too Well
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On amplifie également le malheur et le bonheur, nous ne sommes jamais ni si malheureux, ni si heureux qu'on le dit.
— Honoré de Balzac
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "On amplifie également le malheur et le bonheur, nous ne sommes jamais ni si malheureux, ni si heureux qu'on le dit." in the context of "People exaggerate both happiness and unhappiness; we are never so fortunate nor so unfortunate as people say we are.
• Modeste Mignon (1844), translated by Katharine Prescott Wormeley, ch. XXIV: The Poet Feels That He Is Loved Too Well" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Honoré de Balzac" (Quotes, Various)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Honoré de Balzac
Honoré de Balzac (20 May 1799 – 18 August 1850) was a French novelist. Along with Flaubert, he is generally regarded as a founding father of realism in European literature.
About Honoré de Balzac
Honoré de Balzac (20 May 1799 – 18 August 1850) was a French novelist. Along with Flaubert, he is generally regarded as a founding father of realism in European literature.
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