--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ah!' said Michel, tempted, 'you have…" description: "\"“Ah!' said Michel, tempted, 'you have modern poems?' 'Of course. For instance, Martillac's 'Electric Harmonies,' which won a prize last year from the A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/jules-verne-795_books_ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-p_2592472.jpg" --- # Ah!' said Michel, tempted, 'you have modern poems?' 'Of… ![“Ah!' said Michel, tempted, 'you have modern poems?' 'Of course. For instance, Martillac's 'Electric Harmonies,' which won a prize last year from the Academic of Sciences, and Monsieur de Pulfasse's 'Meditations on Oxygen;' and we have the 'Poetic Parallelogram,' and even the 'Decarbonated Odes…” quote by Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/jules-verne-795_books_ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-p_2592472.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/jules-verne-795_books_ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-p_2592472.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/jules-verne-795_books_ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-p_2592472.jpg) > ““Ah!' said Michel, tempted, 'you have modern poems?' 'Of course. For instance, Martillac's 'Electric Harmonies,' which won a prize last year from the Academic of Sciences, and Monsieur de Pulfasse's 'Meditations on Oxygen;' and we have the 'Poetic Parallelogram,' and even the 'Decarbonated Odes. . .' Michel couldn't bear hearing another word and found himself outside again, stupefied and overcome. Not even this tiny amount of art had escaped the pernicious influence of the age! Science, Chemistry, Mechanics had invaded the realm of poetry! 'And such things are read,' he murmured as he hurried through the streets, ' perhaps even bought! And signed by the authors and placed on the shelves marked 'Literature.' But not one copy of Balzac, not one work by Victor Hugo! Where can I find such things-where, if not the Library...”” [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker laments that modern science dominates literature, pushing aside classic works and true art. **In simple terms:** Science crowds out classic poetry. Key Takeaway Seek balance between science and art. Themes literature science culture modernity Mood frustrated reflective Type critical observational When to use this quote - library search - reading classic novels - educational curricula - publishing decisions Key Concepts cultural shift technological influence artistic loss Questions to Reflect On - How can we integrate scientific themes without losing literary depth? - What role should libraries play in preserving classics? A Different Perspective Modern scientific focus may also inspire new artistic forms, not just suppress old ones. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Last year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-year/) [Marked Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marked-literature-1872918/) [Modern Poems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-poems-1872916/) [Oxygen Poetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oxygen-poetic-1872917/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Poetry Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry-things-447292/) [Said Michel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-michel-1872919/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [I really like Pat Parker. I really like Audre Lorde. I read a lot of the Beats when I was younger, so Diane di…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/i-really-like-pat-parker-i-really-like-audre-lorde-i-read-a-lot-of/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [Prose gets divided up into fiction and nonfiction and short fiction and long fiction and autobiographical nonfiction and so on. Poetry can do any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/prose-gets-divided-up-into-fiction-and-nonfiction-and-short-fiction/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [I didn't really like confessional poetry or things. They seemed sort of dated to me, or just corny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-malkmus/i-didn-t-really-like-confessional-poetry-or-things-they-seemed-sort/) [Stephen Malkmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-malkmus/) > [“I'm made of poetry and other things that people don't really care about at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karishma-magavani/i-m-made-of-poetry-and-other-things-that-people-don-t-really-care/) [Karishma Magavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karishma-magavani/) > [My artistic manifesto exists in the world as poetry. So even though most of the things that I've done have been on other people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamila-woods/my-artistic-manifesto-exists-in-the-world-as-poetry-so-even-though/) [Jamila Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamila-woods/) > [“Poetry is, among other things, a criticism of language.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/poetry-is-among-other-things-a-criticism-of-language/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Poetry is a will to put things right, an imaginary solution, a way of avoiding a catastrophe that already happened. Poetry is an escape,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aase-berg/poetry-is-a-will-to-put-things-right-an-imaginary-solution-a-way-of/) [Aase Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aase-berg/) > [The things we fear about poetry are the things that are good about poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-adam-york/the-things-we-fear-about-poetry-are-the-things-that-are-good-about/) [Jake Adam York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-adam-york/) > [The mysterious thing about writing poetry is that when you're - when things are going poorly, when you're not thinking well, even making two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/the-mysterious-thing-about-writing-poetry-is-that-when-you-re-when/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Poetry was one of the things that interested me most as I was growing up. I used to write it in my head all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/poetry-was-one-of-the-things-that-interested-me-most-as-i-was-growing/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [It all has to do with art - writing, painting, things I've done for a long time but just never had enough time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-newsted/it-all-has-to-do-with-art-writing-painting-things-i-ve-done-for-a/) [Jason Newsted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-newsted/) > [Memories seem to surface in no particular order, with no time attached. Yesterday can seem as distant as last year. My life now consists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-olsson/memories-seem-to-surface-in-no-particular-order-with-no-time-attached/) [Linda Olsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-olsson/) > [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) > [There were times last year when people looked at the scoreboard and thought my batting average was the temperature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-martinez/there-were-times-last-year-when-people-looked-at-the-scoreboard-and/) [Buck Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-martinez/) > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) ## More by Jules Verne > [Look with all your eyes, look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/look-with-all-your-eyes-look/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“As I remarked before, the Asiatic elephant is smaller than the African, which is frequently twelve feet high, and its tusks are in proportion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/as-i-remarked-before-the-asiatic-elephant-is-smaller-than-the-african/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [As long as a man's heart beats, as long as a man's flesh quivers, I do not allow that a being gifted with thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/as-long-as-a-man-s-heart-beats-as-long-as-a-man-s-flesh-quivers-i-do/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Now, when an American has an idea, he directly seeks a second American to share it. If there be three, they elect a president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/now-when-an-american-has-an-idea-he-directly-seeks-a-second-american/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Well, my friend, this earth will one day be that cold corpse; it will become uninhabitable and uninhabited like the moon, which has long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-my-friend-this-earth-will-one-day-be-that-cold-corpse-it-will/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Ah! Young people, travel if you can, and if you cannot - travel all the same!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/ah-young-people-travel-if-you-can-and-if-you-cannot-travel-all-the/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [It is always a vulgar and often an unhealthy pastime, and it is a vice which does not go alone; the man who gambles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/it-is-always-a-vulgar-and-often-an-unhealthy-pastime-and-it-is-a-vice/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“My uncle” is the natives’ usual name for the tiger, they believing that the soul of each of their ancestors is lodged for eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/my-uncle-is-the-natives-usual-name-for-the-tiger-they-believing-that/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“Kâlagani evidently knew this thinly-peopled region perfectly, and guided us across it most admirably. On the 29th September our train began to ascend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/k-lagani-evidently-knew-this-thinly-peopled-region-perfectly-and/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Well, I feel that we should always put a little art into what we do. It's better that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-i-feel-that-we-should-always-put-a-little-art-into-what-we-do-it/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“— Isola in vendita per contanti, più le spese, al miglior offerente! — andava ripetendo a perdifiato Dean Felporg, banditore dell'auction, in cui venivano…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/isola-in-vendita-per-contanti-pi-le-spese-al-miglior-offerente-andava/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [It is certain," exclaimed my uncle in a tone of triumph. "But silence, do you hear me? silence upon the whole subject; and let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/it-is-certain-exclaimed-my-uncle-in-a-tone-of-triumph-but-silence-do/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Man, a mere inhabitant of the earth, cannot overstep its boundaries! But though he is confined to its crust, he may penetrate into all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/man-a-mere-inhabitant-of-the-earth-cannot-overstep-its-boundaries-but/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [On the surface of the ocean, men wage war and destroy each other; but down here, just a few feet beneath the surface, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/on-the-surface-of-the-ocean-men-wage-war-and-destroy-each-other-but/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [In presence of Nature's grand convulsions man is powerless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/in-presence-of-nature-s-grand-convulsions-man-is-powerless/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) [Explore all 331 Jules Verne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ah!' said Michel, tempted, 'you have modern poems?' 'Of course. For instance, Martillac's 'Electric Harmonies,' which won a prize last year from the Academic of Sciences, and Monsieur de Pulfasse's 'Meditations on Oxygen;' and we have the 'Poetic Parallelogram,' and even the 'Decarbonated Odes. . .' Michel couldn't bear hearing another word and found himself outside again, stupefied and overcome. Not even this tiny amount of art had escaped the pernicious influence of the age! Science, Chemistry, Mechanics had invaded the realm of poetry! 'And such things are read,' he murmured as he hurried through the streets, ' perhaps even bought! And signed by the authors and placed on the shelves marked 'Literature.' But not one copy of Balzac, not one work by Victor Hugo! Where can I find such things-where, if not the Library...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jules Verne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-poems-of-course-for-instance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-poems-of-course-for-instance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/jules-verne-795_books_ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-p_2592472.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/jules-verne-795_books_ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-p_2592472.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f81/jules-verne-795_books_ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-p_2592472.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ah!' said Michel, tempted, 'you have modern poems?' 'Of course. For instance, Martillac's 'Electric…” — Jules Verne", "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": "Jules Verne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Ah!' said Michel, tempted, 'you have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-poems-of-course-for-instance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/ah-said-michel-tempted-you-have-modern-poems-of-course-for-instance/#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 } } ] } ```