“My pessimism extends to the point of even suspecting the sincerity of the pessimists.” — Jean Rostand Optimist Copy Share Image
One must either take an interest in the human situation or else parade before the void. — Jean Rostand Interest Copy Share Image
I prefer the honest jargon of reality to the outright lies of books. — Jean Rostand Books Copy Share Image
To live is often to struggle toward goals one has no desire to reach. — Jean Rostand Desire Copy Share Image
Never feel remorse for what you have thought about your wife; she has thought much worse things about you. — Jean Rostand Marriage Copy Share Image
It is not easy to imagine how little interested a scientist usually is in the work of any other, with the possible… — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
A body of work such as Pasteur's is inconceivable in our time: no man would be given a chance to create a… — Jean Rostand Body Copy Share Image
To be able to observe with a stranger's eye helps one to see with an artist's eye. What alienates us inspires. — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
We bestow on others praise in which we do not believe, on condition that in return they bestow upon us praise in… — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
Falsity cannot keep an idea from being beautiful; there are certain errors of such ingenuity that one could regret their not ranking… — Jean Rostand Beautiful Copy Share Image
One kills a man, one is an assassin; one kills millions, one is a conqueror; one kills everybody, one is a god. — Jean Rostand Assassin Copy Share Image
What makes our opponents useful is that they allow us to believe that without them we would be able to realize our… — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
Kill a man, and you are a murderer. Kill millions of men, and you are a conquerer. Kill everyone, and you are… — Jean Rostand God Copy Share Image
We give others praise which we ourselves don't believe, as long as they respond with praise we can believe. — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
There are some persons we could not cut down to size without diminishing ourselves as well. — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
Literature: proclaiming in front of everyone what one is careful to conceal from one's immediate circle — Jean Rostand Books Copy Share Image
The nobility of a human being is strictly independent of that of his convictions. — Jean Rostand Faith Copy Share Image
The least one can say of power is that a vocation for it is suspicious. — Jean Rostand Career Copy Share Image
I still understand a few words in life, but I no longer think they make a sentence. — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
The ideal, without doubt, varies, but its enemies, alas, are always the same. — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
We must watch over our modesty in the presence of those who cannot understand its grounds. — Jean Rostand Humility Copy Share Image
The divine is perhaps that quality in man which permits him to endure the lack of God. — Jean Rostand Divine Copy Share Image
Science has made us gods even before we are worthy of being men. — Jean Rostand Gods Copy Share Image
Take heed of critics even when they are not fair; resist them even when they are. — Jean Rostand Criticism Copy Share Image
One must credit an hypothesis with all that has had to be discovered in order to demolish it. — Jean Rostand Credit Copy Share Image
Far too often the choices reality proposes are such as to take away one's taste for choosing. — Jean Rostand Choice Copy Share Image
In order to remain true to oneself one ought to renounce one's party three times a day. — Jean Rostand Day Copy Share Image
Le biologiste passe, la grenouille reste. The biologist passes, the frog remains. — Jean Rostand Biologist Copy Share Image
My pessimism extends to the point of even suspecting the sincerity of other pessimists. — Jean Rostand Optimist Copy Share Image
On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite. — Jean Rostand Desire Copy Share Image
Renown? I've already got more of it than those I respect, and will never have as much as those for whom I… — Jean Rostand Contempt Copy Share Image
I think I am one of those who can manage not to take on a completely different appearance under their own glance. — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
What scientist would not long to go on living, if only to see how the little truths he has brought to light… — Jean Rostand Copy Share Image
