What would you say of that man who was made king by the error of the people, if he had so far forgotten his natural condition as to imagine that this… - Blaise Pascal
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What would you say of that man who was made king by the error of the people, if he had so far forgotten his natural condition as to imagine that this kingdom was due to him, that he deserved it, and that it belonged to him of right? You would marvel at his stupidity and folly. But is there less in the people of rank who live in so strange a forgetfulness of their natural condition?
Blaise Pascal (19 June 1623 – 19 August 1662) was a French mathematician, logician, physicist and theologian.
Biography information from
Wikiquote·
Portrait adapted from
Wikimedia Commons, unknown; a copy of the painting of François II Quesnel, which was made for Gérard Edelinck en 1691[réf. nécessaire]. (Public domain / CC0)
Also Known As
Pen Names:
Louis de Montalte
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Amos Dettonville
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Salomon de Tultie
Alternative Names:
Pascal
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Dettonville
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Paskal Blez
Portrait from Wikimedia Commons. Credit: unknown; a copy of the painting of François II Quesnel, which was made for Gérard Edelinck en 1691[réf. nécessaire].. Used under Public domain / CC0. Processed and styled by Quotewise.
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Imagine a number of men in chains, all under sentence of death, some of whom are each day butchered in the sight of others those remaining see their own condition in that of their fellows, and looking at each other with grief and despair await their turn. This is an image of the human condition.
The greatness of man is great in that he knows himself to be miserable. A tree does not know itself to be miserable. It is then being miserable to know oneself to be miserable; but it is also being great to know that one is miserable.
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This right which you have, is not founded any more than his upon any quality or any merit in yourself which renders you worthy of it. Your soul and your body are, of themselves, indifferent to the state of boatman or that of duke; and there is no natural bond that attaches them to one condition rather than to another.
