Precious notes. — Do every day what duty and prudence demand.
If you worked every day, life would be more bearable. Work six days without a break.
To find subjects, Know yourself. (List of my tastes.)
Always be a poet, even in prose.
Grand style (nothing is more beautiful than the commonplace).
Begin first, and then use logic and analysis. Any hypothesis whatever calls for its conclusion.
Find the daily frenzy.
Hygiene. Conduct. Morals. — Two shares. Debts (Ancelle).
Friends (my mother, friends, myself).
Thus, 1,000 francs must be divided into two shares of 500 francs each, and the second divided into three parts.
At Honfleur. — Review and sort all my letters (two days) and all my debts (two days). (Four categories: promissory notes, large debts, small debts, friends.) Sort engravings (two days). Sort notes (two days).
Hygiene. Morals. Conduct. — Too late, perhaps! — My mother and Jeanne. — My health, out of charity, out of duty! — Jeanne’s illnesses. My mother’s infirmities and solitude.
— Do one’s duty every day and trust in God for tomorrow.
— The only way to earn money is to work without self-interest.
— Wisdom in brief. Grooming, prayer, work.
— Prayer: charity, wisdom and strength.
— Without charity, I am only a resounding cymbal.
— My humiliations have been graces from God.
— Is my phase of selfishness over?
— The ability to answer the need of each minute—punctuality, in a word—must unfailingly find its reward.
Misfortune that persists has the same effect on the soul as old age on the body: one can no longer move; one lies down...
On the other hand, extreme youth supplies reasons for delay; when one has much time to spend, one persuades oneself that one can wait for years, playing in the face of events.
CHATEAUBRIAND
Hygiene. Conduct. Morals. — Jeanne 300, my mother 200, myself 300,—800 fr. a month. Work from six in the morning, on an empty stomach, until noon. Work blindly, without a goal, like a madman. We shall see the result.
I suppose that I tie my destiny to several hours of uninterrupted work.
Everything can be repaired. There is still time. Who knows even whether new pleasures...?
Glory, payment of my debts. — Wealth for Jeanne and my mother.
I have not yet known the pleasure of a plan fulfilled.
The power of the fixed idea, the power of hope.
The habit of doing one’s duty drives out fear.
One must will to dream and know how to dream. Summoning inspiration. Magic art. Begin writing at once. I reason too much.
Immediate work, even bad work, is worth more than daydreaming.
A succession of small acts of will produces a great result.
Every retreat of the will is a particle of substance lost. How wasteful hesitation is! And consider the magnitude of the final effort needed to make good so many losses!
The man who says his prayer in the evening is a captain who posts sentries. He can sleep.
Dreams about death and warnings.
Until now I have enjoyed my memories only in solitude; they must be enjoyed by two. Make the pleasures of the heart a passion.
Because I understand a glorious existence, I believe myself capable of achieving it. O Jean-Jacques!
Work necessarily engenders good morals, sobriety and chastity, and consequently health, wealth, genius that develops step by step, and charity. ⟨Do⟩ what you are doing.
Soak the lichen for twelve or fifteen hours in a sufficient quantity of cold water, then throw away the water. Boil the lichen in two litres of water over a gentle, steady heat until the two litres are reduced to one; skim once only; then add the 250 grams of sugar and let it thicken to the consistency of syrup. Let it cool. Take three very large tablespoonfuls a day, in the morning, at noon and in the evening. Do not be afraid to increase the doses if the attacks are too frequent.