For purposes of action nothing is more useful than narrowness of thought combined with energy of will. — Henri Frederic Amiel Action Copy Share Image
Unconsciousness, spontaneity, instinct ... hold us to the earth and dictate the relatively good and useful. — Henri Frederic Amiel Earth Copy Share Image
If man was what he ought to be, he would be adored by the animals. — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
True love is that which ennobles the personality, fortifies the heart, and sanctifies the existence. — Henri Frederic Amiel Existence Copy Share Image
Peace is not in itself a dream, but we know it only as the result of a momentary equilibrium--an accident. — Henri Frederic Amiel Accident Copy Share Image
Sacrifice, which is the passion of great souls, has never been the law of societies. — Henri Frederic Amiel Great souls Copy Share Image
In order to see Christianity, one must forget all the Christians. — Henri Frederic Amiel Christian Copy Share Image
Pure truth cannot be assimilated by the crowd; it must be communicated by contagion. — Henri Frederic Amiel Communication Copy Share Image
We are always making God our accomplice, that so we may legalize our own iniquities. Every successful massacre is consecrated by a… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Let us be true: this is the highest maxim of art and of life, the secret of eloquence and of virtue, and… — Henri Frederic Amiel Art Copy Share Image
Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Each bud flowers but once and each flower has but its minute of perfect beauty; so, in the garden of the soul… — Henri Frederic Amiel Beauty Copy Share Image
Put personal ambition away from you, and then you will find consolation in living or in dying, whatever may happen to you. — Henri Frederic Amiel Ambition Copy Share Image
I find myself regarding existence as though from beyond the tomb, from another world; all is strange to me; I am, as… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
To feel keenly the poetry of a morning's roses, one has to have just escaped from the claws of this vulture which… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Life is an apprenticeship to the constant renunciations, to the steady failure of our claims, our hopes, our powers, our liberty. — Henri Frederic Amiel Apprenticeship Copy Share Image
Materialism coarsens and petrifies everything, making everything vulgar, and every truth false. — Henri Frederic Amiel Materialism Copy Share Image
Blessed be childhood, which brings down something of heaven into the midst of our rough earthliness. — Henri Frederic Amiel Blessed Copy Share Image
The growth and development of the soul is more important than power and glory. — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Sacrifice still exists everywhere, and everywhere the elect of each generation suffers for the salvation of the rest. — Henri Frederic Amiel Sacrifice Copy Share Image
The art which is grand and yet simple is that which presupposes the greatest elevation both in artist and in public. — Henri Frederic Amiel Art Copy Share Image
It is not what he had, or even what he does which expresses the worth of a man, but what he is. — Henri Frederic Amiel Expresses Copy Share Image
Clever people will recognize and tolerate nothing but cleverness. — Henri Frederic Amiel Clever Copy Share Image
The immense majority of our species are candidates for humanity, and nothing more. — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
There is only one way of not hating those who do us wrong, and that is by doing them good. — Henri Frederic Amiel Doing good Copy Share Image
Mother of Marvels, mysterious and tender Nature, why do we not live more in thee. — Henri Frederic Amiel Inspirational Copy Share Image
A modest garden contains, for those who know how to look and to wait, more instruction than a library. — Henri Frederic Amiel Educational Copy Share Image
Every life is a profession of faith, and exercises an inevitable and silent influence. — Henri Frederic Amiel Faith Copy Share Image
Our greatest illusion is to believe that we are what we think ourselves to be. — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Latent genius is but a presumption. Everything that can be, is bound to come into being, and what never comes into being… — Henri Frederic Amiel Bounds Copy Share Image
Happiness has no limits, because God has neither bottom nor bounds, and because happiness is nothing but the conquest of God through… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Do not despise your situation; in it you must act, suffer, and conquer. From every point on earth we are equally near… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Never to tire, never to grow cold; to be patient, sympathetic, tender; to look for the budding flower and the opening heart;… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Wisdom consists in rising superior both to madness and to common sense, and is lending oneself to the universal illusion without becoming… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
The spirit of sarcasm lives and thrives in the midst of universal wreck; its balls are enchanted and itself invulnerable, and it… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Faith is certitude without proofs ... Faith is a sentiment, for it is a hope; it is an instinct, for it precedes… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
The soul may be immortal because she is fitted to rise towards that which is neither born nor dies, towards that which… — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
Our dependence outweighs our independence, for we are independent only in our desire, while we are dependent on our health, on nature,… — Henri Frederic Amiel Dependence Copy Share Image
At the bottom of the modern man there is always a great thirst for self-forgetfulness, self-distraction . . . and therefore he… — Henri Frederic Amiel Abyss Copy Share Image
Common sense is the measure of the possible; it is composed of experience and prevision; it is calculation applied to life. — Henri Frederic Amiel Copy Share Image
