“But it was enough if, in my own bed, my sleep was deep and allowed my mind to relax entirely; then it would let go of the map of the place where I had fallen asleep and, when I woke in the middle of the night, since I did not know where I was, I did not even understand in the first moment who I was; all I had, in its original simplicity, was the sense of existence as it may quiver in the depths of an animal; I was more bereft than a caveman; but then the memory - not yet of the place where I was, but of several of those where I had lived and where I might have been - would come to me like help from on high to pull me out of the void from which I could not have got out on my own; I passed over centuries of civilization in one second, and the image confusedly glimpsed of oil lamps, then of wing-collar shirts, gradually recomposed my self's original features.”

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About Marcel Proust

French novelist and essayist of the early 20th century, Proust is best known for his monumental seven-volume novel *In Search of Lost Time*, a deeply introspective exploration of memory, time, and human experience. His lyrical prose and psychological depth have made him a cornerstone of modern literature.

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"But it was enough if, in my own bed, my sleep was deep and allowed my…" — Marcel Proust | Daily Quotes