No one ever reads a book. He reads himself through books. Romain Rolland More Quotes by Romain Rolland More Quotes From Romain Rolland Skepticism, riddling the faith of yesterday, prepared the way for the faith of tomorrow. Romain Rolland faith yesterday way If a man is to shed the light of the sun upon other men, he must first of all have it within himself. Romain Rolland light men firsts Everything is music for the born musician. Romain Rolland born musician It is not peace that I seek, but life. Romain Rolland You desire a popular art? Begin by having a "people" whose minds are liberated, a people not crushed by misery and ceaseless toil, not brutalized by every superstition and every fanaticism, a people of itself, and victor in the fight that is being waged today. Romain Rolland fighting people art Every race, every art has its hypocrisy. The world is fed with a little truth and many lies. Romain Rolland men lying art The artist is the compass which, through the raging of the storm, points steadily to the north. Romain Rolland compass storm artist Leave your theories. All theories, you see, even those of virtue, are bad, foolish, mischievous. Romain Rolland virtue theory foolish Theatre supposes lives that are poor and agitated, a people searching in dreams for a refuge from thought. If we were happier and freer we should not feel hungry for theatre. A people that is happy and free has need of festivities more than of theatres; it will always see in itself the finest spectacle. Romain Rolland theatre dream people The more a man lives, the more a man creates, the more a man loves and loses those whom he loves, the more does he escape from death. With every new blow that we have to bear, with every new work that we round and finish, we escape from ourselves, we escape into the work we have created, the soul we have loved, the soul that has left us. Romain Rolland rome men lying There are some dead who are more alive than the living. Romain Rolland alive death The greatest book is not the one whose message engraves itself on the brain, as a telegraphic message engraves itself on the ticker-tape, but the one whose vital impact opens up other viewpoints, and from writer to reader spreads the fire that is fed by the various essences, until it becomes a vast conflagration leaping from forest to forest. Romain Rolland impact fire book I find war detestable but those who praise it without participating in it even more so. Romain Rolland conflict praise war I know at last what distinguishes man from animals; financial worries. Romain Rolland money animal funny Take possession of the air, submit the elements, penetrate the last redoubts of nature, make space retreat, make death retreat. Romain Rolland elements space air You are a vain fellow. You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things. A hero!... I don't quite know what that is: but, you see, I imagine that a hero is a man who does what he can. The others do not do it. Romain Rolland hero silly men The greatest human ideal is the great cause of bringing together the thoughts of Europe and Asia; the great soul of India will topple our world. Romain Rolland our-world soul europe You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things. Romain Rolland hero want silly Let us seek truth everywhere; Romain Rolland truth blow wind Love of my country does not demand that I shall hate and slay those noble and faithful souls who also love theirs. Romain Rolland hate war country