Joubert Quotes

The Bible remained for me a book of books, still divine - but divine in the sense that all great books are divine which teach men how to live righteously.

In these times gain is not only a matter of greed, but of ambition.

There are some men who are witty when they are in a bad humor, and others only when they are sad.

Moderation consists in being moved as angels are moved.

In bringing up a child, think of its old age.

Common sense suits itself to the ways of the world. Wisdom tries to confirm to the ways of heaven.

The lively phraseology of Montesquieu was the result of long meditation. His words, as light as wings, bear on them grave reflections.

In temperance there is ever cleanliness and elegance.

Politeness smooths wrinkles.

A man who shows no defect is a fool or a hypocrite, whom we should mistrust. There are defects so bound to fine qualities that they announce them,--defects which it is well not to correct.

Old age takes from the man of intellect no qualities save those that are useless to wisdom.

Abuse of words is the foundation of ideology.

Of what delights are we deprived by our excesses!

Men must be either the slaves of duty, or the slaves of force.

Religion is the only metaphysic that the multitude can understand and adopt.

Religion is neither a theology nor a theosophy; it is more than that, it is a discipline, a law, a yoke, an indissoluble engagement.

Religion is fire which example keeps alive, and which goes out if not communicated.

We should do good whenever we can and do kindness at all times, for at all times we can.

Never write anything that does not give you great pleasure. Emotion is easily transferred from the writer to the reader.

Space is the stature of God.

Genuine witticisms surprise those who say them as much as those who listen to them; they arise in us in spite of us, or, at least, without our participation,--like everything inspired.

The soul that is the abode of chastity acquires an energy which enables her to surmount with ease the obstacles that lie along the path of duty.

Thus, if the clarity of our thoughts comes through better in a play of words, then the wordplay is good. One must know how to enter the ideas of others and how to leave them.

If authorities were well organized, there would not be an Unknown Warrior.

It would be next to impossible to discover a handsome woman who was not also a vain woman.

Order is to arrangement what the soul is to the body, and what mind is to matter.

I quit Paris unwillingly, because I must part from my friends; and I quit the country unwillingly, because I must part from myself.

Only just the right quantum of wit should be put into a book; in conversation a little excess is allowable.

He who has not the weakness of friendship has not the strength.

A work is perfectly finished only when nothing can be added to it and nothing taken away.

How many books there are whose reputation is made that would not obtain it were it now to make?

Young authors give their brains much exercise and little food.

Genuine bon mots surprise those from whose lips they fall, no less than they do those who listen to them.

Grace imitates modesty, as politeness imitates kindness.

When credulity comes from the heart it does no harm to the intellect.

In the interchange of thought use no coin but gold and silver.

Words become luminous when the poet's finger has passed over them its phosphorescence.

Ask the young. They know everything.

To be an agreeable guest one need only enjoy oneself.

It is easier to be mistaken about the true than the beautiful.

Virtue by calculation is the virtue of vice.

You arrive at truth through poetry; I arrive at poetry through truth.

Antiquity! I like its ruins better than its reconstructions.

Without duty, life is sort of boneless; it cannot hold itself together.

Let us be men with men, and always children before God; for in His eyes we are but children. Old age itself, in presence of eternity, is but the first moment of a morning.

The joy which is caused by truth and noble thoughts shows itself in the words by which they are expressed.

Think that day lost whose descending sun, views from thy hand no noble action done.

Ornaments were invented by modesty.

The supreme sway of chastity over the senses makes her queenly.

A temperate style is alone classical.