Happiness is beneficial for the body but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind.
• Ch. III: "An Afternoon Party at the House of the Princesse de Guermantes"
• Ch. III: "An Afternoon Party at the House of the Princesse de Guermantes"
“
Le bonheur est salutaire pour le corps, mais c'est le chagrin qui développe les forces de l'esprit.
— Marcel Proust
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Le bonheur est salutaire pour le corps, mais c'est le chagrin qui développe les forces de l'esprit." in the context of "Happiness is beneficial for the body but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind.
• Ch. III: "An Afternoon Party at the House of the Princesse de Guermantes"" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Marcel Proust" (Quotes, In Search of Lost Time / Remembrance of Things Past (1913-1927): À la recherche du temps perdu. [In Search of Lost Time — also translated as Remembrance of Things Past]; the first six volumes were translated by C. K. Scott-Moncrieff from 1922 to 1930, with a revised translation by Terence Kilmartin in 1981 and a further revision by D.J Enright in 1992. The seventh and final volume was translated by Frederick Blossom and published in 1932. Alternate translations provided as noted., Vol. VII: The Past Recaptured (1927): Le temps retrouvé —also translated as "Time Regained" and "Finding Time Again")
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, essayist and critic.
About Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust (10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, essayist and critic.
View all quotes →