Henri-Frédéric Amiel
Swiss philosopher and diarist, 1821-1881
20 quotes.
Quotes by Henri-Frédéric Amiel
- To do easily what is difficult for others is the mark of talent. To do what is impossible for talent is the mark of genius.
- Every man is a priest, even involuntarily; his conduct is an unspoken sermon, which is forever preaching to others; but there are priests of Baal, of Moloch, and of all the false gods.
- He who ceases to grow greater grows smaller.
- He who does not advance falls backward.
- Heroism is the brilliant triumph of the soul over fear; fear of poverty, of suffering, of calumny, of sickness, of isolation and death.... It is the dazzling and glorious concentration of courage.
- It is not what he has, nor even what he does, which directly expresses the worth of a man, but what he is.
- Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind!
- Never mind the future: be what you ought to be; the rest is God's affair.
- Order means light and peace, inward liberty and free command over one’s self; order is power.
- So long as a man is capable of self-renewal he is a living being.
- The man who insists upon seeing with perfect clearness before he decides, never decides.
- There is no respect for others without humility in one's self.
- To do easily what is difficult for others is the mark of talent.
- To do what is impossible for talent is the mark of genius.
- To know how to suggest is the art of teaching.
- Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence.
- We are never more discontented with others than when we are discontented with ourselves.
- What we call little things are merely the causes of great things; they are the beginning, the embryo, and it is the point of departure which, generally speaking, decides the whole future of an existence.
- Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.
- Work while you have the light. You are responsible for the talent that has been entrusted to you.