114 quotes
Revolt against a tyrant is legitimate; it can succeed. Revolt against human nature is doomed to failure.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
There is no absurdity or contradiction to which passion may not lead a man. When love or hate takes control, reason must submit and then discover justifications for their folly.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
The truth is that, from the immense spectacle of the world, each novelists retains the one adventure which enable shim to give expression to his own essential self, just as the painter sees in nature only pictures painted in his manner.
The Art of Writing (1957)
In attaching so much importance to the idea of the League of Nations England was moved in part by a sincere idealism but also by a false idea she had formed of a League of Nations that would overcome cannon with volleys of edifying discourse.
Tragedy in France (1940)
Everything that is in agreement with our personal desires seems true; everything that is not puts us in a rage.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
In the misfortunes of our best friends, we always find something not unpleasing.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
What men call friendship is only social intercourse, an exchange of favours and good offices; it comes down to a commercial dealing in which self-esteem always expects to profit.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
A true woman loves a strong man because she knows his weaknesses. She protects as much as she is protected.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
One has very little influence upon one's children. Their characters are what they are and one can do nothing to change them.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
Passionate love produces distorted visions of actual people. Men who are too much in love expect such extraordinary happiness from marriage that they are frequently disappointed.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
It is better to teach a few things perfectly than many things indifferently, and an overloaded curriculum is useless. The object of instruction is not to produce technicians, but good active minds.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
The officer of to-day has seen active service, it's true but as a matter of fact it is quite sufficient in war to have good health and no more imagination than a fish. It is in peace-time that one ought to judge a soldier.
Les silences du colonel Bramble (The Silence of Colonel Bramble) (1918)
If you want to be thought anything of amongst Englishmen, you must make yourself see their point of view. They don't care for melancholy people, and have a contempt for sentiment. This applies to love as well as to patriotism and religion.
Les silences du colonel Bramble (The Silence of Colonel Bramble) (1918)
Pascal said that if geometry stirred us emotionally as much as politics we would not be able to expound it so well.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
Friendship is the positive and unalterable choice of a person whom we have singled out for qualities that we most admire.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
It is a great joy to admire someone without reserve; love which is founded upon admiration of the mind as well as the body of the chosen person undoubtedly affords the keenest delight.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
Paul Valéry has no hesitation in saying that the greatest evils today are elections and diplomas.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
Does absolute reliance carry with it a complete exchange of confidences? I believe that true friendship cannot exist otherwise.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)
The really great novel tends to be the exact negative of its author's life. "The characters crowd onto the page", writes Mauriac, "there to accomplish all those things which the personal destiny of the author has kept at bay.
The Art of Writing (1957)
We console ourselves with several friends for not having found one real one.
Un Art de Vivre (The Art of Living) (1939)