Joseph Joubert

France
7 May 1754 // 4 May 1824
Moralist / Essayist

Quotes

<< Prev Next >>

The evening of a well spent life brings its lamps with it
The Bible is to religion what the Iliad is to poetry
The art of saying well what one thinks is different from the faculty of thinking. The latter may be very deep and lofty and far-reaching, while the former is altogether wanting
That which astonishes, astonishes once; but whatever is admirable becomes more and more admired
Strength is not energy; some authors have more muscles than talent
Remorse is the punishment of crime; repentance, its expiation. The former appertains to a tormented conscience; the latter to a soul changed for the better
Questions show the mind's range, and answers, its subtlety
Order is to arrangement what the soul is to the body, and what mind is to matter
Old age was naturally more honored in times when people could not know much more than what they had seen
Old age deprives the intelligent man only of qualities useless to wisdom
<< Prev Next >>
Search

 

On Anger: "For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind."
Essays
On Destiny: "Our destiny exercises its influence over us even when, as yet, we have not learned its nature: it is our future that lays down the law of our today."
Human, All Too Human
On Friendship: "A crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love."
Essays