A very small matter, when all is said; only a fool would be concerned about it. Stendhal More Quotes by Stendhal More Quotes From Stendhal When you want to court a woman, court her sister first Stendhal courtwantfirsts There is no such thing as "natural law": this expression is nothing but old nonsense... Prior to laws, what is natural is only the strength of the lion, or the need of the creature suffering from hunger or cold, in short, need. Stendhal expressionsufferinglaw People who have been made to suffer by certain things cannot be reminded of them without a horror which paralyses every other pleasure, even that to be found in reading a story. Stendhal readingsufferingpeople Any man who talks about his love affairs thereby proves he is ignorant of love and is moved only by vanity. Stendhal vanitymenlife In our calling, we have to choose; we must make our fortune either in this world or in the next, there is no middle way. Stendhal callingsuccessworld A strange effect of marriage, such as the nineteenth century has made it! The boredom of married life inevitably destroys love, when love has preceded marriage. And yet, as a philosopher has observed, it speedily brings about, among people who are rich enough not to have to work, an intense boredom with all quiet forms of enjoyment. And it is only dried up hearts, among women, that it does not predispose to love. Stendhal boredommarriageheart I love her beauty, but I fear her mind. Stendhal her-beautymind The difference breeds hatred. Stendhal differenceshatred Life is too short, and the time we waste in yawning never can be regained. Stendhal yawningwastelife Mathematics allows for no hypocrisy and no vagueness. Stendhal vaguenesshypocrisymath Pleasure is often spoiled by describing it. Stendhal describingspoiledpleasure Power, after love, is the first source of happiness. Stendhal powerlove-isfirsts I do not feel I have wisdom enough yet to love what is ugly. Stendhal uglywisdomenough The worst of prison life, he thought, was not being able to close his door. Stendhal prison-lifeabledoors A melancholy air can never be the right thing; what you want is a bored air. If you are melancholy, it must be because you want something, there is something in which you have not succeeded. Stendhal want-somethingairhands Faith, I am no such fool; everyone for himself in this desert of selfishness which is called life. Stendhal desertselfishnessfool What is really beautiful must always be true. Stendhal being-truebeautifulbeauty In love, unlike most other passions, the recollection of what you have had and lost is always better than what you can hope for in the future. Stendhal broken-heartpassionlove Man is not free to refuse to do the thing which gives him more pleasure than any other conceivable action. Stendhal actiongivingmen People are less self-conscious in the intimacy of family life and during the anxiety of a great sorrow. The dazzling varnish of anextreme politeness is then less in evidence, and the true qualities of the heart regain their proper proportions. Stendhal familyselfheart
