A young man with good looks and more than sufficient genius could fail to excite interest only by very bad management.
 Honoré de Balzac, Lost Illusions (1843). copy citation

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Author Honoré de Balzac
Source Lost Illusions
Topic genius interest
Date 1843
Language English
Reference
Note Translated by Ellen Marriage
Weblink https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/13159/pg13159.html

Context

“it is not easy to get into her set; but you meet all the greatest people at her house, Cabinet ministers and ambassadors, and great orators from the Chamber of Deputies, and peers and men of influence, and wealthy or famous people. A young man with good looks and more than sufficient genius could fail to excite interest only by very bad management. "There is no pettiness about those who are truly great; they will lend you their support; and when you yourself have a high position, your work will rise immensely in public opinion. The great problem for the artist is the problem of putting himself in evidence.” source