George Eliot, 'The Morality of Wilhelm Meister', The Leader, Vol. VI, No. 278 (21 July 1855), p. 708
• Unsigned article reprinted in The Writings of George Eliot: Essays and Uncollected Papers (1908)
• Unsigned article reprinted in The Writings of George Eliot: Essays and Uncollected Papers (1908)
“
Balzac, perhaps the most wonderful writer of fiction the world has ever seen, has in many of his novels overstepped this limit. He drags us by his magic force through scene after scene of unmitigated vice, till the effect of walking among this human carrion is a moral nausea.
— George Eliot on Honoré de Balzac
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Balzac, perhaps the most wonderful writer of fiction the world has ever seen, has in many of his novels overstepped this limit. He drags us by his magic force through scene after scene of unmitigated vice, till the effect of walking among this human carrion is a moral nausea." in the context of "George Eliot, 'The Morality of Wilhelm Meister', The Leader, Vol. VI, No. 278 (21 July 1855), p. 708
• Unsigned article reprinted in The Writings of George Eliot: Essays and Uncollected Papers (1908)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Honoré de Balzac" (Quotes about Honoré de Balzac)
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 George Eliot
George Eliot (born Mary Ann Evans; 22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880) was an English novelist and poet. Despite the strong social customs of her times against such arrangements, she lived unmarried with fellow writer George Henry Lewes for over 20 years.
About George Eliot
George Eliot (born Mary Ann Evans; 22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880) was an English novelist and poet. Despite the strong social customs of her times against such arrangements, she lived unmarried with fellow writer George Henry Lewes for over 20 years.
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