"The wise man does not grow old, but ripens"

Victor Hugo's quote recommends that knowledge is not something that is acquired with age, but rather something that is cultivated and developed with time. The smart guy does not simply age, but rather develops and ripens like a fruit. This implies that wisdom is something that is earned through experience and reflection, rather than something that is just gotten with age. It recommends that wisdom is something that is actively looked for and cultivated, instead of something that is passively obtained. The quote likewise implies that wisdom is something that can be lost if not actively maintained, as a fruit can rot if not appropriately taken care of. Eventually, Victor Hugo's quote recommends that knowledge is something that is actively sought out and cultivated, rather than something that is passively obtained with age.