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March 10.
There are generations that have a certain physical temperament, and other entire generations that have another.
Condorcet. It is true that he says only commonplace things, but he seems to say them only after thinking them through, and that is what distinguishes him.
Plutarch. This man, with his excellent judgment, nevertheless has a singular frivolity of mind. See the comparison of Marius and Pyrrhus. Everything that amuses him attracts him, holds him. He is a master schoolboy in the full vigor of his studies.
March 11.
I shall raise a temple to dreams.
Each of these strings called nerves, when plucked in this way, gives out a pain (if I may express myself so).
March 14.
(In the woods of Boisrond.) All children are vain, and we are always children.
March 17.
“When faith (that is, children’s respect for their fathers’ opinions) shall have diminished on earth...” — “When the maidservant becomes the mother of her mistress or her master.” That is, when parents have become like servants to their daughters or their sons. (Say: when the manservant is the father of his mistress or his master—which indicates the depravity of women.) — “When strangers shall be pref [...] etc., (say the Turks) the last day (that is, the great upheaval) will draw near. Pocock Sultiman arabicum.
Anacharsis.—The true and the false predominate in it.
Learned ignorance is ignorance that knows itself.
The object of art (in the fine arts) is, I shall not say imitation (as people do without understanding themselves or making themselves intelligible), but representation.
Every artist is, can be, and wishes to be only a painter of portraits. His ambition and his merit are to express faithfully what is or what he imagines. When his thought resembles its object and his work resembles his thought, he makes an excellent work. If it lacks these truths, it is no good.
March 19.
In discourse, passion (which is vehement) must be only the mistress of the robes to intelligence, which is tranquil. One must, one may, it is even praiseworthy to speak with one’s temper, but one must think and judge only with one’s reason.
March 9.
One can hope for true affection from no one except those who are naturally gentle and loving.