WIST Quotations https://wist.info Wish I'd Said That! Tue, 12 May 2026 20:58:01 +0000 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://wist.info/wp/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/little-w-little-box-60x60.jpg Amiel, Henri-Frédéric – WIST Quotations https://wist.info 32 32 43606282 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal Intime, entry for 27 Oct 1856 (1882) https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5663/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5663/#respond Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:41:54 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/wp/?p=5663 Our true history is scarcely ever deciphered by others. The chief part of the drama is a monologue, or rather an intimate debate between God, our conscience, and ourselves. Tears, griefs, depressions, disappointments, irritations, good and evil thoughts, decisions, uncertainties, deliberations—all these belong to our secret, and are almost all incommunicable and intransmissible, even when we try to speak of them, and even when we write them down.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal Intime, entry for 27 Oct 1856 (1882)

trans. Mrs. Humphrey Ward (1892) ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5663/feed/ 0 5663 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal Intime https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1378/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1378/#respond Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/wp/?p=1378 Conquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one’s liberty.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal Intime ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1378/feed/ 0 1378 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal Intime (17 Dec 1856) https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5691/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5691/#respond Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:44:12 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/wp/?p=5691 Self-interest is but the survival of the animal in us. Humanity only begins for man with self-surrender.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal Intime (17 Dec 1856) ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5691/feed/ 0 5691 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal Intime (1849-05-27) [tr. Ward (1885)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/53448/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/53448/#respond Mon, 06 Jun 2022 17:39:25 +0000 Dave https://wist.info/?p=53448 To be misunderstood even by those whom one loves is the cross and bitterness of life.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal Intime (1849-05-27) [tr. Ward (1885)]
    (Source) ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/53448/feed/ 0 53448 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal Intime (1869-12-16) [tr. Ward (1897)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/15113/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/15113/#respond Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:18:24 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=15113 Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind!


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal Intime (1869-12-16) [tr. Ward (1897)]
    (Source)

Variant:

Life is short. And we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us. So, be swift to love, and make haste to be kind.
[E.g.]

This version is often turned (removing Amiel's name) into a prayer with additional benedictions (example).

 ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/15113/feed/ 0 15113 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal Intime (6 Oct. 1866) https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1377/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1377/#respond Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/wp/?p=1377 We are always making God our accomplice so that we may legalize our own inequities. Every successful massacre is consecrated by a Te Deum, and the clergy have never been wanting in benedictions for any victorious enormity.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal Intime (6 Oct. 1866) ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1377/feed/ 0 1377 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal Intime (7 Nov 1862) https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5719/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5719/#respond Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:08:02 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/wp/?p=5719 Mutual respect implies discretion and reserve even in love itself; it means preserving as much liberty as possible to those whose life we share. We must distrust our instinct of intervention, for the desire to make one’s own will prevail is often disguised under the mask of solicitude.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal Intime (7 Nov 1862) ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5719/feed/ 0 5719 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Entry, Journal (15 Nov 1876) https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1375/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1375/#respond Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/wp/?p=1375 A belief is not true because it is useful.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Entry, Journal (15 Nov 1876)
    (Source) ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/1375/feed/ 0 1375 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (1 Sep 1875) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9995/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9995/#respond Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:54:10 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=9995 Hurtful timidity, unprofitable conscientiousness, fatal slavery to detail!


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (1 Sep 1875) [tr. Ward (1887)]

On the causes of his failures. ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9995/feed/ 0 9995 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (10 Feb 1853) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/14289/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/14289/#respond Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:32:51 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=14289 Our greatest illusion is to believe that we are what we think ourselves to be.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (10 Feb 1853) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/14289/feed/ 0 14289 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (11 Jan 1867) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/10632/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/10632/#respond Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:45:33 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=10632 Mystery on all sides! And faith the only star in this darkness and uncertainty!


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (11 Jan 1867) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/10632/feed/ 0 10632 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (14 Oct 1872) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/14114/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/14114/#respond Fri, 25 Mar 2011 12:42:33 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=14114 Indecision has rendered all my faculties barren.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (14 Oct 1872) [tr. Ward (1887)]

Full text. ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/14114/feed/ 0 14114 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (16 Feb 1868) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/7244/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/7244/#respond Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:39:43 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=7244 Cleverness is serviceable for everything, sufficient for nothing.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (16 Feb 1868) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/7244/feed/ 0 7244 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (16 Nov 1864) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/32132/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/32132/#respond Tue, 12 Jan 2016 14:24:55 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=32132 Only evil grows of itself, while for goodness we want effort and courage.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (16 Nov 1864) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/32132/feed/ 0 32132 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (16 Nov 1864) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/36837/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/36837/#respond Fri, 21 Apr 2017 22:12:45 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=36837 To know how to suggest is the great art of teaching.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (16 Nov 1864) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/36837/feed/ 0 36837 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (17 Jun 1852) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/35558/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/35558/#respond Tue, 08 Nov 2016 05:12:15 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=35558 The test of every religious, political, or educational system is the man which it forms.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (17 Jun 1852) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/35558/feed/ 0 35558 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (2 May 1852) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9715/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9715/#respond Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:56:31 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=9715 Every life is a profession of faith, and exercises an inevitable and silent propaganda.  As far as lies in its power, it tends to transform the universe and humanity into its own image.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (2 May 1852) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9715/feed/ 0 9715 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (26 Apr 1968) [tr. Mrs. H. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9246/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9246/#respond Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:46:52 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=9246 A gloomy morning.  On all sides a depressing outlook, and within, disgust  with self.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (26 Apr 1968) [tr. Mrs. H. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9246/feed/ 0 9246 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (26 Dec 1852) [tr. Mrs. H. Ward (1885)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9061/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9061/#respond Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:21:46 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=9061 An error is the more dangerous in proportion to the degree of truth which it contains.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (26 Dec 1852) [tr. Mrs. H. Ward (1885)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/9061/feed/ 0 9061 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (27 Nov 1880) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/31186/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/31186/#respond Tue, 27 Oct 2015 13:41:58 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=31186 There is only one way of not hating those who do us wrong, and that is by doing them good.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (27 Nov 1880) [tr. Ward (1887)]

See Matthew. ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/31186/feed/ 0 31186 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (2nd Ed.,1889) https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/37730/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/37730/#respond Tue, 15 Aug 2017 03:08:59 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=37730 Thought is sad without action, and action is sad without thought.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (2nd Ed.,1889)
    (Source)

Quoted in Cesare Lombroso, The Man of Genius (1896), ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/37730/feed/ 0 37730 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (6 Feb 1877) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/12380/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/12380/#respond Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:46:43 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=12380 There is no curing a sick man who believes himself in health.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (6 Feb 1877) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/12380/feed/ 0 12380 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal (7 Apr 1851) [tr. Ward (1887)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/29773/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/29773/#respond Tue, 30 Jun 2015 15:41:10 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/?p=29773 Be what you wish others to become. Let yourself and not your words preach for you.


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal (7 Apr 1851) [tr. Ward (1887)] ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/29773/feed/ 0 29773 Amiel, Henri-Frédéric -- Journal entry (1856-12-17), Journal Intime (1882) [tr. Ward (1884)] https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5672/ https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5672/#respond Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:36:20 +0000 Dave http://wist.info/wp/?p=5672 The man who insists upon seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides. Accept life, and you must accept regret.
 
[Qui veut voir parfaitement clair avant de se déterminer ne se détermine jamais. Qui n’accepte pas le regret n’accepte pas la vie.]


Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821-1881) Swiss philosopher, poet, critic
Journal entry (1856-12-17), Journal Intime (1882) [tr. Ward (1884)]
    (Source)

(Source (French)) ]]> https://wist.info/amiel-henri-frederic/5672/feed/ 0 5672