--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What was more needed by this old man who…" description: "\"What was more needed by this old man who divided the leisure hours of his life, where he had so little leisure, between gardening in the daytime, and c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victor-hugo-32_adore_what-was-more-needed-by-this-old-man-who_138908.jpg" --- # What was more needed by this old man who divided the… ![“What was more needed by this old man who divided the leisure hours of his life, where he had so little leisure, between gardening in the daytime, and contemplation at night? Was not this narrow enclosure, with the sky for a background, enough to enable him to adore God in his most beautiful as…” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victor-hugo-32_adore_what-was-more-needed-by-this-old-man-who_138908.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victor-hugo-32_adore_what-was-more-needed-by-this-old-man-who_138908.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59c/victor-hugo-32_adore_what-was-more-needed-by-this-old-man-who_138908.jpg) > “What was more needed by this old man who divided the leisure hours of his life, where he had so little leisure, between gardening in the daytime, and contemplation at night? Was not this narrow enclosure, with the sky for a background, enough to enable him to adore God in his most beautiful as well as in his most sublime works? Indeed, is not that all, and what more can be desired? A little garden to walk, and immensity to reflect upon. At his feet something to cultivate and gather; above his head something to study and meditate upon: a few flowers on the earth, and all the stars in the sky.” [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A simple garden and the vast sky offer profound spiritual fulfillment through contemplation and nature. **In simple terms:** Nature’s simplicity fuels spiritual awe. Key Takeaway Cultivate space for reflection in daily life. Themes spirituality nature contemplation Mood peaceful inspired Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - life - philosophy - art Key Concepts garden sky meditation Questions to Reflect On - How can you find “garden” moments? - What does the sky symbolize for you? A Different Perspective May not resonate with urban dwellers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Contemplation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplation/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Enclosure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enclosure/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Immensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immensity/) [Leisure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leisure/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Stars in the sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars-in-the-sky/) [Sublime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sublime/) ## Related quotes > [“Indeed, is not that all, and what more can be desired? A little garden to walk, and immensity to reflect on. At his feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/indeed-is-not-that-all-and-what-more-can-be-desired-a-little-garden/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“At his feet something to cultivate and gather; above his head something to study and meditate on; a few flowers on earth and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/at-his-feet-something-to-cultivate-and-gather-above-his-head/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“what is there left to desire beyond it? A little garden in which to walk, and immensity in which to dream. At one's feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/what-is-there-left-to-desire-beyond-it-a-little-garden-in-which-to/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“As we have seen, prayer, celebration of the religious offices, alms, consoling the afflicted, the cultivation of a little piece of ground, fraternity, frugality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/as-we-have-seen-prayer-celebration-of-the-religious-offices-alms/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Indeed, what more could you want? A little garden to amble about in, and infinite space to dream in. At his feet, whatever could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/indeed-what-more-could-you-want-a-little-garden-to-amble-about-in-and/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Marius and Cosette were in the dark in regard to each other. They did not speak, they did not bow, they were not acquainted;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/marius-and-cosette-were-in-the-dark-in-regard-to-each-other-they-did/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Being converted to Jesus is learning to so adore God that we would gladly renounce everything we have to follow Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-converted-to-jesus-is-learning-to-so-adore-god-that-we-would/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My aim each day is to adore God more than anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/my-aim-each-day-is-to-adore-god-more-than-anything-else/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Adore God. Reverence and cherish your parents. Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself. Be just. Be true. Murmur not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/adore-god-reverence-and-cherish-your-parents-love-your-neighbor-as/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Now I see that I will never find the love, Unless, like the krishna, I have to adore God within, And Love Relationships in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paritoshik-sharma/now-i-see-that-i-will-never-find-the-love-unless-like-the-krishna-i/) [Paritoshik Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paritoshik-sharma/) > [“A pure heart is nothing more than being real with God, and not pretending to honor and adore Him. Will you do this? Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelena-griffiths-a-real-desire-to-praise-god-devotional/a-pure-heart-is-nothing-more-than-being-real-with-god-and-not/) Shelena Griffiths, A Real Desire To Praise God Devotional > [Adore Him(GOD), placing a garland of tears around His neck; washing His feet with tears, springing from joy at the contemplation of His Love!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-guru-granth-sahib/adore-him-god-placing-a-garland-of-tears-around-his-neck-washing-his/) [Sri Guru Granth Sahib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-guru-granth-sahib/) > [“I have a religion, my own religion, and I even have more religion than all of them, with their mummery and hocus-pocus. I adore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-have-a-religion-my-own-religion-and-i-even-have-more-religion-than/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [Adoration is not some fervent spiritual or poetic exercise reserved for a chosen few. I believe the human race will die out and destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/adoration-is-not-some-fervent-spiritual-or-poetic-exercise-reserved/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) > [“child of God, known by name and whose very hairs are numbered. Praise and adore God and thank him for ever and ever. Amen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/child-of-god-known-by-name-and-whose-very-hairs-are-numbered-praise/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## More by Victor Hugo > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“First I loved women, then animals, and now I love stones. They're just as amusing as women and animals and they're much less trecherous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/first-i-loved-women-then-animals-and-now-i-love-stones-they-re-just/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The peasants of the Asturias believe that in every litter of wolves there is one pup that is killed by the mother for fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-peasants-of-the-asturias-believe-that-in-every-litter-of-wolves/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Great blunders are often made, like large ropes, of a multitude of fibres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/great-blunders-are-often-made-like-large-ropes-of-a-multitude-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“For love is like a tree; it grows of itself; it send its roots deep into our being, and often continues to grow green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/for-love-is-like-a-tree-it-grows-of-itself-it-send-its-roots-deep/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Blacheville smiles with the self-satisfied smugness of a man whose vanity is tickled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/blacheville-smiles-with-the-self-satisfied-smugness-of-a-man-whose/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Loving in ignorance, she loved with all the more passion. She did not know whether it was good or evil, beneficent or dangerous, necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/loving-in-ignorance-she-loved-with-all-the-more-passion-she-did-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/laughter-is-the-sun-that-drives-winter-from-the-human-face/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Our joys have shadows. The perfect smile belongs to God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/our-joys-have-shadows-the-perfect-smile-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Love is a fault; so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-a-fault-so-be-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Explore all 2,181 Victor Hugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More Adore quotes > [I adore extravagance but I abhor waste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-copland/i-adore-extravagance-but-i-abhor-waste/) [Aaron Copland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-copland/) > [“I am happier when I love than when I am loved. I adore my husband, my son, and my grandchildren, my mother, my dog,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-am-happier-when-i-love-than-when-i-am-loved-i-adore-my-husband-my/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [I don't like the word celebrity. If I become a good actress and be in movies where I'm expected to be a good actress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reilly/i-don-t-like-the-word-celebrity-if-i-become-a-good-actress-and-be-in/) [Kelly Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reilly/) > [“I adore you, my greatest love, as only through you I can find my moment’s eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/i-adore-you-my-greatest-love-as-only-through-you-i-can-find-my-moment/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“A spark of every fire we seek is already within us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/a-spark-of-every-fire-we-seek-is-already-within-us/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [We are going to die, as is everyone we adore - I hate this! But the question is, how do we live as women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/we-are-going-to-die-as-is-everyone-we-adore-i-hate-this-but-the/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [She's all I want and more I mean damn. What's not to adore?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevershoutnever/she-s-all-i-want-and-more-i-mean-damn-what-s-not-to-adore/) Nevershoutnever > [She dotes on poetry, sir. She adores it; I may say that her whole soul and mind are wound up, and entwined with it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/she-dotes-on-poetry-sir-she-adores-it-i-may-say-that-her-whole-soul/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I adore Chicago. It is the pulse of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bernhardt/i-adore-chicago-it-is-the-pulse-of-america/) [Sarah Bernhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bernhardt/) > [It isn't called TV money for nothing. There was a time where I paid my rent by doing theater for years, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/it-isn-t-called-tv-money-for-nothing-there-was-a-time-where-i-paid-my/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [I'm sorry I can't give you the normal life you wanted, but I promise to adore you every day for the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-sorry-i-can-t-give-you-the-normal-life-you-wanted-but-i-promise/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [You could at least complain,” I say. “I adore complaining. It calms the nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-billingsley/you-could-at-least-complain-i-say-i-adore-complaining-it-calms-the/) [Franny Billingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-billingsley/) > [I'm massively inspired by Janet Jackson, and I adore Whitney Houston and Madonna.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shura/i-m-massively-inspired-by-janet-jackson-and-i-adore-whitney-houston/) Shura > [Emily and I have some funny scenes where we quarrel and it gets quite heated, the mother-daughter relationship. You know, film mothers and daughters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacki-weaver/emily-and-i-have-some-funny-scenes-where-we-quarrel-and-it-gets-quite/) [Jacki Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacki-weaver/) > [I love what I do and I adore this whole world. I'm able to meet fantastic people. I meet fantastic writers, I meet architects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-ghesquiere/i-love-what-i-do-and-i-adore-this-whole-world-i-m-able-to-meet/) [Nicolas Ghesquiere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-ghesquiere/) Browse all 749 Adore quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What was more needed by this old man who divided the leisure hours of his life, where he had so little leisure, between gardening in the daytime, and contemplation at night? Was not this narrow enclosure, with the sky for a background, enough to enable him to adore God in his most beautiful as well as in his most sublime works? Indeed, is not that all, and what more can be desired? A little garden to walk, and immensity to reflect upon. 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