When one was wanting in wisdom whilst young, one dies of hunger in one’s old age.
 Émile Zola, L'Assommoir (1877). copy citation

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Author Émile Zola
Source L'Assommoir
Topic wisdom hunger
Date 1877
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink https://www.gutenberg.org/files/8600/8600-h/8600-h.htm

Context

“But on hearing the word “bill,” Madame Goujet became severer still. She gave herself as an example; she had reduced her expenditure ever since Goujet’s wages had been lowered from twelve to nine francs a day. When one was wanting in wisdom whilst young, one dies of hunger in one’s old age. But she held back and didn’t tell Gervaise that she gave her their laundry only in order to help her pay off the debt. Before that she had done all her own washing, and she would have to do it herself again if the laundry continued taking so much cash out of her pocket.” source