"There is a sacred horror about everything grand. It is easy to admire mediocrity and hills; but whatever is too lofty, a genius as well as a mountain, an assembly as well as a masterpiece, seen too near, is appalling"

Victor Hugo's quote speaks with the concept that splendour can be frightening and frustrating. It is simple to appreciate the normal and the mundane, but when something is too grand, it can be hard to value. Hugo recommends that even genius and work of arts can be overwhelming when seen too carefully. He indicates that there is a particular "sacred horror" connected with grandeur, which it can be difficult to appreciate it when it is too close. Hugo's quote speaks with the idea that splendour can be both awe-inspiring and challenging, which it is necessary to value it from a range.