--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly…" description: "\"The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly, is as often a man in despair as a lounger.\" — Honore de Balzac" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/honor-de-balzac-197_despair_the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly_763882.png" --- # The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly, is as often a… ![“The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly, is as often a man in despair as a lounger.” quote by Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/honor-de-balzac-197_despair_the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly_763882.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/honor-de-balzac-197_despair_the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly_763882.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/honor-de-balzac-197_despair_the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly_763882.png) > “The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly, is as often a man in despair as a lounger.” [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wandering city dwellers often experience despair like idle loungers. **In simple terms:** City life can breed despair. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond aimlessness. Themes urban life despair existence loneliness Mood melancholic contemplative Type literary observational When to use this quote - travel - career transitions - mental health counseling - creative writing Key Concepts alienation search for meaning social observation Questions to Reflect On - What gives you purpose in a bustling city? - How can urban environments foster connection? A Different Perspective Not all city dwellers feel despair. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) ## Related quotes > [When fear is excessive it can make many a man despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/when-fear-is-excessive-it-can-make-many-a-man-despair/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [When a man is in despair, it means that he still believes in something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitri-shostakovich/when-a-man-is-in-despair-it-means-that-he-still-believes-in-something/) [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitri-shostakovich/) > [I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/i-have-never-met-the-man-i-could-despair-of-after-discerning-what/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [I am now a man of despair, rejected, abandoned, shut up in this iron cage from which there is no escape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/i-am-now-a-man-of-despair-rejected-abandoned-shut-up-in-this-iron/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My only refuge, as a serious young man, from the despair of my financial burden to my family, is that I did everything I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/my-only-refuge-as-a-serious-young-man-from-the-despair-of-my/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“He would smile at times, but I never heard him laugh aloud,” said Louisa Boggs. “He was a sad man . . . he seemed almost in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/he-would-smile-at-times-but-i-never-heard-him-laugh-aloud-said-louisa/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [“Hence it is a superficial view (which presumably has never seen a person in despair, not even one’s own self) when it is said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/hence-it-is-a-superficial-view-which-presumably-has-never-seen-a/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [Goals incapable of attainment have driven many a man to despair, but despair is easier to get to than that -- one need merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/goals-incapable-of-attainment-have-driven-many-a-man-to-despair-but/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [There is no greater folly in the world than for a man to despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/there-is-no-greater-folly-in-the-world-than-for-a-man-to-despair/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [Isn't it really quite extraordinary to see that, since man took his first step, no one has asked himself why he walks, how he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/isn-t-it-really-quite-extraordinary-to-see-that-since-man-took-his/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Let me drink from the waters where the mountain streams flood Let the smell of wildflowers flow free through my blood Let me sleep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/let-me-drink-from-the-waters-where-the-mountain-streams-flood-let-the/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Mostly, two miles an hour is good going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-fletcher/mostly-two-miles-an-hour-is-good-going/) [Colin Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-fletcher/) > [The longest journey begins with a single step.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/the-longest-journey-begins-with-a-single-step/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Oh, shut up. He is not saying that he's too good-looking to be friends with girls. But then again, yesterday at the beach, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/oh-shut-up-he-is-not-saying-that-he-s-too-good-looking-to-be-friends/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More by Honore de Balzac > [“Oh, my friend, when you love, love a woman whom you are sure that you can love always. Never forsake a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/oh-my-friend-when-you-love-love-a-woman-whom-you-are-sure-that-you/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“You have broken the ice, though you have not even scratched its glossy surface: you have placed your hand upon the croup of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/you-have-broken-the-ice-though-you-have-not-even-scratched-its-glossy/) [Honoré de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [In a world of hunchbacks, a fine figure becomes a monstrosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/in-a-world-of-hunchbacks-a-fine-figure-becomes-a-monstrosity/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [It is quite right what they say: the three most beautiful sights in the world are a ship in full sail, a galloping horse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/it-is-quite-right-what-they-say-the-three-most-beautiful-sights-in/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [My writing table has seen all my wretchedness, knows all my plans, has overheard all my thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/my-writing-table-has-seen-all-my-wretchedness-knows-all-my-plans-has/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Foppery, being the chronic condition of women, is not so much noticed as it is when it breaks out on the person of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/foppery-being-the-chronic-condition-of-women-is-not-so-much-noticed/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [A married woman is a slave you must know how to seat upon a throne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-married-woman-is-a-slave-you-must-know-how-to-seat-upon-a-throne/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Rich men are resolved to be astonished at nothing. When they see a masterpiece, they must needs at one glance recognize some flaw to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/rich-men-are-resolved-to-be-astonished-at-nothing-when-they-see-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [I am a galley slave to pen and ink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/i-am-a-galley-slave-to-pen-and-ink/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [One can imagine the look the two lovers exchanged; it was like a flame, for virtuous lovers have not a shred of hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/one-can-imagine-the-look-the-two-lovers-exchanged-it-was-like-a-flame/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All men can bear a familiar, definite misfortune better than the cruel alternations of a fate which, from one moment to another, brings excessive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-men-can-bear-a-familiar-definite-misfortune-better-than-the-cruel/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The mind, too, has its regimen. It needs gymnastics, just like the body does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-mind-too-has-its-regimen-it-needs-gymnastics-just-like-the-body/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Hatred like love feeds on the merest trifles. Everything adds to it. Just as the being we love can do no wrong, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/hatred-like-love-feeds-on-the-merest-trifles-everything-adds-to-it/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [All human power is a compound of time and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-human-power-is-a-compound-of-time-and-patience/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) [Explore all 793 Honore de Balzac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. It's the part drawn to hope, that will not give in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/your-spirit-is-the-part-of-you-that-seeks-meaning-and-purpose-it-s/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The modernist writers found despair inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-modernist-writers-found-despair-inspirational/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/the-skin-and-shell-of-things-though-fair-are-not-thy-wish-nor-prayer/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) Louaiq8 > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/despair-is-the-price-one-pays-for-setting-oneself-an-impossible-aim/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly, is as often a man in despair as a lounger.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Honore de Balzac" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly-is-as-often-a-man-in-despair/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despair" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly-is-as-often-a-man-in-despair/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/honor-de-balzac-197_despair_the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly_763882.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/honor-de-balzac-197_despair_the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly_763882.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2b/honor-de-balzac-197_despair_the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly_763882.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly, is as often a man in despair as a lounger.” — Honore de Balzac", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Honore de Balzac", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Parisan, sauntering the streets idly,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly-is-as-often-a-man-in-despair/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/the-parisan-sauntering-the-streets-idly-is-as-often-a-man-in-despair/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```