Diotimos Library · Literary Fiction Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 56 of 94
René · p. 171
French
p. 171» Mais, mon frère, sortez au plus vite de la solitude, qui ne vous est pas bonne ; cherchez quelque occupation. Je sais que vous riez amèrement de cette nécessité où l’on est en France de prendre un état. Ne méprisez pas tant l’expérience et la sagesse de nos pères. Il vaut mieux, mon cher René, ressembler un peu plus au commun des hommes, et avoir un peu moins de malheur.
» Peut-être trouveriez-vous dans le mariage un soulagement à vos ennuis. Une femme, des enfants occuperoient vos jours. Et quelle est la femme qui ne chercheroit pas à vous rendre heureux ! L’ardeur de votre âme, la beauté de votre génie, votre air noble et passionné, ce regard fier et tendre, tout vous assureroit de son amour et de sa fidélité. Ah ! avec quelles délices ne te presseroit-elle pas dans ses bras et sur son cœur ! Comme tous ses regards, toutes ses pensées seroient attachés sur toi pour prévenir tes moindres peines ! Elle seroit tout amour, tout innocence devant toi ; tu croirois retrouver une sœur.
» Je pars pour le couvent de…. Ce monastère, bâti au bord de la mer, convient à la situation de mon âme. La nuit, du fond de
René
Source p. 171’But, brother, leave solitude as quickly as you can; it is not good for you; look for some occupation. I know that you laugh bitterly at the necessity people are under in France to take up a calling. Do not so despise the experience and wisdom of our fathers. It is better, my dear René, to be a little more like the common run of men, and to have a little less unhappiness.
’Perhaps you would find in marriage a relief for your troubles. A wife, children would fill your days. And what woman would not try to make you happy! The ardour of your soul, the beauty of your genius, your noble and passionate air, that proud and tender gaze, everything would assure you of her love and her faithfulness. Ah! with what delight would she not press you in her arms and to her heart! How all her looks, all her thoughts would be fixed on you, to forestall your least pains! She would be all love, all innocence before you; you would think you had found a sister again.
’I am leaving for the convent of…. This monastery, built by the sea, suits the state of my soul. At night, from the depths of
Socrates
Reading René · René · René · p. 171
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Chateaubriand’s tale of René and Amélie, with the Preface of 1805, two contemporary reviews, and the longer readings of 1802. This French–English edition preserves the 1826 printed pages, with a new English translation, author’s notes, variant readings, introduction and glossary.
Historical Text and Translation
François-René de Chateaubriand, Œuvres complètes, tome XVI (Paris: Ladvocat, 1826), pp. 1–16, 137–192 and 351–358, University of Toronto Library copy. Earlier witness: Génie du Christianisme, tome II (Paris: Migneret, 1802), pp. 158–216, Bibliothèque nationale de France copy.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
Rights
The historical French source is in the public domain in the United States. New English translation and editorial matter © 2026 Diotimos Editions. Chateaubriand’s author notes and historical variants remain separately attributed.