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Men of genius supply the substance of history, while the mass of men are but the critical filter, the limiting, slackening, passive force needed for the modification of ideas supplied by genius.

Henri Frederic Amiel

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Henri Frederic Amiel
Age: 59 †
Born: 1821
Born: September 27
Died: 1881
Died: May 11
Diarist
Literary Critic
Philosopher
Poet
Translator
University Teacher
Writer
Genève
Henri-Frederic Amiel
Henri Frédéric Amiel
Genius
Filter
Needed
Limiting
Force
Filters
History
Supply
Ideas
Passive
Men
Substance
Critical
Supplied
Mass
Modification

More quotes by Henri Frederic Amiel

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Time is but the measure of the difficulty of a conception. Pure thought has scarcely any need of time, since it perceives the two ends of an idea almost at the same moment.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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As it is impossible to be outside God, the best is consciously to dwell in Him.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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We are always making God our accomplice, that so we may legalize our own iniquities. Every successful massacre is consecrated by a Te Deum, and the clergy have never been wanting in benedictions for any victorious enormity.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Put personal ambition away from you, and then you will find consolation in living or in dying, whatever may happen to you.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Heroism is the brilliant triumph of the soul over the flesh - over fear...Heroism is the dazzling and glorious concentration of courage.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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It would have been a joy to me to be smiled upon, loved, encouraged, welcomed, and to obtain what I was so ready to give, kindness and goodwill. But to hunt down consideration and reputation - to force the esteem of others - seemed to me an effort unworthy of myself, almost a degradation.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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To learn new habits is everything, for it is to reach the substance of life. Life is but a tissue of habits.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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The great majority of men are but tangled skeins, imperfect keyboards, so many specimens of restless or stagnant chaos--and what makes their situation almost hopeless is the fact that they take pleasure in it. There is no curing a sick man who believes himself in health.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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[I]t is truth alone-scientific, established, proved, and rational truth-which is capable of satisfying nowadays the awakened minds of all classes. We may still say perhaps, 'faith governs the world,'-but the faith of the present is no longer in revelation or in the priest-it is in reason and in science.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Materialism coarsens and petrifies everything, making everything vulgar, and every truth false.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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We only understand that which already is within us.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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The laws of animality govern almost the whole of history.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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[T]he habit of scientific analysis ... exhausts the material offered to it.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Man is a passion which brings a will into play, which works an intelligence.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Life is an apprenticeship to the constant renunciations, to the steady failure of our claims, our hopes, our powers, our liberty.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Unconsciousness, spontaneity, instinct ... hold us to the earth and dictate the relatively good and useful.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Uncertainty is the refuge of hope.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Philosophy means the complete liberty of the mind.
Henri Frederic Amiel
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Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.
Henri Frederic Amiel