Giacomo Leopardi

Italy
29 Jun 1798 // 14 Jun 1837
Poet / Philosopher

It is Very Undesirable to Speak a Great Deal about Oneself

It is very undesirable to speak a great deal about oneself. But young people, when they have lively natures, and their spirits are raised above the common level, are the less able to keep themselves free from this vice. And they speak of their own affairs with extreme candour, taking it for granted that the listener is only a little less interested than they are themselves. And they are pardoned for doing this, not so much in consideration of their inexperience, as because of the clear need they have of help, counsel, and a verbal outlet for the passions which disturb them at their age. And also it seems to be generally recognised that young people have a kind of right to want the world to be occupied with their thoughts.

Giacomo Leopardi, in 'Thoughts'
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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