Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Thoughts by Rebecca Moll

Seeds of greatness, however small and insignificant...

"Fex Urbis" -
Dregs of the city, law of the world.

From Victor Hugo, Les Miserables:

"Let that vile sand which you trample under foot be cast into the furnace, let it melt and seed there, it will become a splendid crystal, and it is thanks to that Galileo and Newton will discover stars."