André Gide Quotes

The artist who is after success lets himself be influenced by the public. Generally such an artist contributes nothing new, for the public acclaims only what it already knows, what it recognizes.

Robert crede că ştie tot despre mine. Nici măcar nu bănuieşte că pot avea o viaţă a mea, independentă de a lui. Mă consideră doar drept o anexă. Îi sunt necesară pentru a se simţi confortabil instalat în existenţă. Sunt soţia lui.

My eyes filled with tears and I wept long and hard, unable, and unwilling, to stop.

Words are traitors, for language tends to impose more logic than there is logic in life, and that the most precious in us is that which remains unexpressed.

Croyez ceux qui cherchent la vérité, doutez de ceux qui la trouvent.

When I was younger, I used to make resolutions which imagined were virtuous. I was less anxious to be what I was, than to become what I wished to be. Now, I am not far from thinking that in irresolution lies the secret of not growing old.

Je ne me sens jamais vivre plus intensément que quand je m'échappe à moi-même pour devenir n'importe qui.

Will it be here that we shall find a place which will not elude us, or which if it remains does not exert on us a culpable attraction? Or must we, leaning over the deck and watching the shores glide by, move forever onward?

The priest accepted me, I accepted the priest, so everything went off smoothly.

A straight path never leads anywhere except to the objective.

Because it was natural, could he not see that it was marvelous? Poor creature!

I had resigned my temporary lectureship — thankless, dreary work, from which I would be suddenly distracted by the slightest song, the slightest sound coming from the country outside; in every passing cry I heard an invitation. How often I have leapt from my reading and run to the window to see — nothing pass by! How often I have hurried out of doors. . . The only attention I found possible was that of my five senses.

For what use is it to forbid what we can't prevent? If books are forbidden, children read them on the sly.

مجازاتی تو جهنم وجود نداره جز اینکه مجبوری کارای ناتمامتو تموم کنی

Engourdissement, peut être diminution. La vue baisse ; l'oreille durcit ; aussi bien portent-elles moins loin des désirs sans doute plus faibles. L'important, c'est que cette équation se maintienne entre l'impulsion de l'âme et l'obéissance du corps. Puissé-je, même alors et vieillissant, maintenir en moi l'harmonie. Je n'aime point l'orgueilleux raidissement du stoïque ; mais l'horreur de la mort, de la vieillesse et de tout ce qui ne se peut éviter, me semble impie. Je voudrais rendre à Dieu quoi qu'il m'advienne, une âme reconnaissante et ravie.