Joseph Joubert
Joseph Joubert
Joseph Joubertwas a French moralist and essayist, remembered today largely for his Pensées, which was published posthumously...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth7 May 1754
CountryFrance
distance history perspective
History needs distance, perspective. Facts and events which are too well attested cease, in some sort, to be malleable.
vex inability ability
It is always our inabilities that vex us.
humor wings mind
There is always some frivolity in excellent minds; they have wings to rise, but also stray.
mean men coins
I would fain coin wisdom,—mould it, I mean, into maxims, proverbs, sentences, that can easily be retained and transmitted. Would that I could denounce and banish from the language of men—as base money—the words by which they cheat and are cheated!
religion multitudes
Religion is the only metaphysic that the multitude can understand and adopt.
thinking essence soul
The essence of life consists in thinking, and being conscious of one's soul.
fear ideas fear-of-love
Fear loves the idea of danger.
arguing reason crutches
To reason, to argue. It is to walk with crutches in search of the truth. We come to it with a leap.
men feelings enthusiasm
What a man knows only through feeling can be explained only through enthusiasm.
friendship friends weakness
He who has not the weakness of friendship has not the strength.
inspirational eye excellence
Mediocrity is excellence in the eyes of the mediocre.
freedom soul liberty
Let your cry be for free souls rather than for freedom. Moral liberty is the only important liberty.
strength giving-up dont-give-up
How many weak shoulders have craved heavy burdens!
god believe thinking
We always believe God is like ourselves, the indulgent think him indulgent and the stern, terrible.