Hugo, Victor -- Les Misérables, Part 1 “Fantine,” Book 1 “An Upright Man,” ch. 1 (1.1.1) (1862) [tr. Wilbour/Fahnestock/MacAfee (1987)]

Dave — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 23:40:29 +0000

M. Myriel had to submit to the fate of every newcomer in a small town, where many tongues talk but few heads think.

[M. Myriel devait subir le sort de tout nouveau venu dans une petite ville où il y a beaucoup de bouches qui parlent et fort peu de têtes qui pensent.]

Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French writer
Les Misérables, Part 1 “Fantine,” Book 1 “An Upright Man,” ch. 1 (1.1.1) (1862) [tr. Wilbour/Fahnestock/MacAfee (1987)]
(Source)

This quotation is often given with just the second clause ("Many tongues ..."), making a more general statement than the context provides.

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

M. Myriel had to submit to the fate of every new-comer in a small town, where there are many tongues to talk, and but few heads to think.
[tr. Wilbour (1862)]

M. Myriel was fated to undergo the lot of every new-comer to a little town, where there are many mouths that speak, and but few heads that think.
[tr. Wraxall (1862)]

M. Myriel had to undergo the fate of every newcomer in a little town, where there are many mouths which talk, and very few heads which think.
[tr. Hapgood (1887)]

He had to accept the fate of every newcomer to a small town where are plenty of tongues that gossip and few minds that think.
[tr. Denny (1976)]

Monsieur Myriel had to undergo the fate of every newcomer to a small town where there are plenty of tongues given to wagging and very few minds given to reflection.
[tr. Donougher (2013)]

WIST Quotations

Hugo, Victor -- Les Misérables, Part 1 “Fantine,” Book 1 “An Upright Man,” ch. 1 (1.1.1) (1862) [tr. Wilbour/Fahnestock/MacAfee (1987)]