From his works
15 September 1813
I haven't written for four days because describing one's happiness lessens it. I do have to say, though, to be true, that I don't feel the rapture of 1811. My health has been recovering too slowly, and there isn't the same novelty and ten years being away. But I am happy, it seems to me, in this second period of love ['of love' is in English], in which there is more intimacy, trust, and naturalness. This evening, when it was almost four days without seeing her, I noticed that I only needed a little work to be happy. I began looking for some. I didn't have my green notebooks, so I couldn't work on to the History of P ['to the history of P' is in English; P stands for painting]. Moreover, bene dicendi sapere est fons. This latin means that, to write well, one must begin by knowing things well. A fifteen day preparation is necessary. I can't start working so quickly. I can't give it a passionate enough attention for it to move Letellier. I need to mistrust the pretexts I give myself for not putting my hand to the trowel. I am like those sibyls who had to wait until they were sitting on a tripod. However, I think I am right this time. This winter, in Paris, I will work, I hope; but here, it seems difficult for me. I am the opposite of J.-J. Rousseau in many things, without a doubt, and in particular in this, that I can only work when I am not filled with feeling. I cannot describe my happiness at all when I am walking through a lovely forest; it's when I am closed in a bare room, where nothing excites my attention, that I can do something. Now here, I am on the battlefield. I haven't surrendered, but that changes nothing at bottom. So much the worse for me, if I am four days away from her; it's an inconvenience of my situation, but since it doesn't change the nature of it, I cannot work. Let me leave this, and write up my observations on italian morals, something completely different from describing my life. I don't b... for any book, and it's only in this happy state that I read fruitfully, augmenting my store of ideas or rather correcting them, and always coming closer to the truth. It is for me (with regard to a knowledge of men) as with a painting covered by a layer of lime; ceaselessly some piece of lime falls away, and I approach the sought-after truth. This is what occupied me the last time I saw l'Amore viene dell'odio, a very mediocre opera, which will be replaced next week by another, perhaps worth as much. Intrigue protected the son Guglielmi, it seems that Farinelli has more talent. This last, I think, wrote a pretty duo for Il Matriomonio, whose accompaniment I love so much.
5 January 1815
The style that pleases me the most is that of de Brosses, who says much, and strong things, in few words and very clearly, with grace, and without pedantry. For ex., tome 3, page 21. I find this taste of mine all the more real as it agrees with my taste for comedy and my aversion to tragedy. More particularly for the majesty that is added to feelings in tragedy.
26 July 1816
I was thinking this evening, while listening to a charming work (the opera Tancredi), that the degree to which our soul is carried away and ravished measures how beautiful we find music. Whereas if I was filled with the greatest sang-froid in the world, and someone presented me with a painting by Guide, I would still say: this is extremely beautiful.
4 March 1818
Thoughts. - I think that to be great in any genre, one must be oneself. Immortal books were made while giving very little thought to style. I imagine that the author who is carried away by his ideas writes per sfogarsi (to free himself). Affectation, on the contrary, builds a wall between the author and his reader. It always gives a constrained air. It spreads a varnish of pettiness over everything. And affectation is so fashionable among our pedants that one could assert that every town has it's own particular affectation which is easy to recognize. The speech of a pedant from Padua is not at all the same as that of a pedant from Turin, and a pedant from Bologna doesn't write at all like a pedant from Rome.
Nothing is more unpleasant when learning a language than the vicious multiplicity of synonyms. I call vicious synonyms ones which have exactly the same meaning. Pedants call this richness of language. A well-made vocabulary would take this fatal richness away from us. Then, young people would have less difficulty in learning Italian and little by little dialects would fall away. This last must be one of the great goals of our literary Institutions.
My enthusiasm for mathematics was perhaps based principally on my horror for hypocrisy, hypocrisy in my eyes was my aunt Séraphie, Mme Vignon, and their p... [priests]
As it seemed to me, hypocrisy was impossible in mathematics and in my youthful simplicity, I thought that it was the same in all the sciences that I had heard of in which mathematics plays a part.
Life of Henri Brulard. Chapter XXV.
Mon enthousiasm pour les mathématiques avait peut-être eu pour base principale mon horreur pour l'hypocrisie, l'hypocrisie à mes yeux était ma tante Séraphie, Mme Vignon, et leurs p... [prêtres]
Suivant moi, l'hypocrisie était impossible en mathématiques et dans ma simplicité juvénile, je pensais qu'il en était ainsi dans toutes les sciences où j'avais ouï dire qu'elles s'appliquaient.
Vie de Henri Brulard. Chapitre XXV.
The first feeling that Lamiel had when she saw someone displaying a virtue was that it was hypocrisy.
- Society, Sansfin said to her, is not at all divided, as simpletons think, into rich and poor, virtuous men and scoundrels, but simply into dupes and rogues; that is the key that explains the nineteenth century since the fall of Napoleon; because, added Sansfin, personal bravery and firmness of character allow no place for hypocrisy. How can a man be a hypocrite when he is throwing himself toward the wall of a country cemetery that is well fortified and defended by two hundred men? Excepting such deeds, my pretty friend, never believe a word of all the virtues that people beat your ears with. For example, your duchess ceaselessly talks about kindness; that, according to her, is virtue par excellence; the true meaning of these speeches of admiration is that, like all the women of her rank, she prefers to deal with dupes rather than rogues; that is the final word of the alleged claims that the women of her rank make endlessly. You must not believe what I am telling you at all. Apply the rule that I just explained to you to me now, who knows if I don't have some interest in tricking you? I have already told you that being surrounded by vulgar people who one must always lie to in order not to be the victim of their brutal strength, it is a good fortune for me to find someone full of natural genius. To cultivate this genius and to dare to speak the truth is a charming pleasure for me that would make me abandon everything that I do during the day to make a living.
Lamiel. Chapter VIII.
Le premier sentiment de Lamiel à la vue d'une vertu était de la croire une hypocrisie.
- Le monde, lui disait Sansfin, n'est point divisé, comme le croit le nigaud, en riches et en pauvres, en hommes vertueux et en scélérats, mais tout simplement en dupes et en fripons; voilà la clef qui explique le XIXe siècle depuis la chute de Napoléon; car, ajoutait Sansfin, la bravoure personnelle, la fermeté de caractère n'offrent point prise à l'hypocrisie. Comment un homme peut-il être hypocrite en se lançant contre le mur d'un cimetière de compagne bien crénelé et défendu par deux cents hommes? A l'exception de ces faits, ma belle amie, ne croyez jamais un mot de toutes les vertus dont on vient vous battre les oreilles. Par exemple, votre duchesse parle sans cesse de bonté; c'est là, suivant elle, la vertu par excellence; le vrai sens de ses actes d'admiration, c'est que, comme toutes les femmes de son rang, elle aime mieux avoir affaire à des dupes qu'à des fripons; c'est là le fin mot de ce prétendu usage du monde dont les femmes de son rang parlent sans cesse. Vous ne devez point croire ce que je vous dis. Appliquez-moi la règle que je vous explique, qui sait si je n'ai point quelque intérêt à vous tromper? Je vous ai bien dit qu'environné d'êtres grossièrs avec lesquels il faut toujours mentir pour n'être pas victime de la force brutale dont ils disposent, c'est une bonne fortune pour moi que de trouver un être rempli du génie naturel. Cultiver ce génie et oser dire la vérité est pour moi un plaisir charmant et qui me délasse de tout ce que je fais pendant la journée pour gagner de quoi vivre.
Lamiel. Chapitre VIII.
These pretended good manners therefore lessen the little pleasure that is still, in 1834, on this cooling planet; they are therefore eminently immoral.
Virtue increases happiness; vice increases unhappiness. All the rest is only hypocrisy or bourgeois stupidity. It's always necessary to seize an opportunity for instructing youth.
Correspondence. To M. di Fiore, at Paris,
Civita-Vecchia, the 1st nov. 1834
Ces prétendues belles manières diminuent donc le peu de plaisir qui reste encore, en 1834, sur cette planète refroidissante; elles sont donc éminemment immorales.
La vertu, c'est augmenter le bonheur; le vice augmente le malheur. Tout le reste n'est qu'hypocrisie ou ânerie bourgeoise. Il faut toujours saisir l'occasion d'instruire la jeunesse.
Correspondance. A M. di Fiore, à Paris,
Civita-Vecchia, le 1er nov. 1834
I try to defend myself from exaggeration. I hate falseness in everything as an enemy of happiness. But I think that if I were, in Milan, a secretary of the embassy, or anything else that didn't expect too much work, I would pass a delightful year.
Journal, Milan, 8 september 1811
Je cherche à me défendre de l'exagération. Je déteste le faux en tout comme un ennemi du bonheur. Mais je crois que si j'étais, à Milan, secrétaire d'ambassade, ou toute autre chose qui n'exigeât pas trop de travail, j'y passerais une année délicieuse.
Journal, Milan, 8 septembre 1811
To understand discussions of this type [on beautiful ideals], a person must have a soul. Instead of taking as true what he has read in accredited authors, he must interrogate his own memories, and have good faith in himself. All this is not easy. The speed at which things bombard us in this nineteenth century chain up and exhaust life, and make reverie very rare. When we have a reverie about something, in France, it is about some misfortune of our vanity.
Walks in Rome, 28 november 1828
Pour comprendre les discussions de ce genre (sur le « beau idéal »), il faut avoir de l'âme. Au lieu de prendre pour vrai ce qu'on a lu dans des auteurs accrédités, il faut interroger ses propres souvenirs, il faut être de bonne foi avec soi-même. Tout cela n'est pas chose facile. Les convenances de tous les instants que nous impose la civilisations du dix-neuvième siècle enchaînent, fatiguent la vie, et rendent la rêverie fort rare. Quand nous rêvons à quelque chose, en France, c'est à quelque malheur d'amour-propre.
Promenades dans Rome, 28 novembre 1828
... Not to give into empty words at all. To try to see true nature. That is the base of everything for me: pleasure, glory, happiness.
Journal, 15 messidor, 4 july 1804, Paris
... Ne rien donner à la phrase. Tâcher de voir la vraie nature. Voilà la base de tout pour moi: plaisir, gloire, bonheur.
Journal, 15 messidor, 4 juillet 1804, Paris
I make every effort possible to be dry. I want to impose silence on my heart, which thinks it has a lot to say. I am always afraid that I have only written a sigh when I thought I was noting a truth.
On Love. First book, chapter IX
Je fais tous les efforts possibles pour être sec. Je veux imposer silence à mon cœur qui croit avoir beaucoup à dire. Je tremble toujours de n'avoir écrit qu'un soupir, quand je crois avoir noté une vérité.
De l'Amour. Livre premier, chapitre IX
... This work should be written in a style that is simple, clear and exact, with a description whose tone seems to belong more to a book on anatomy than to a speech.
... The judges are requested to prefer a simple style over an oratorical one, and above all to prefer thoughts to style.
Testament, september 1810
... Cet ouvrage devra être écrit en style simple, clair et exact, du ton d'une description anatomique et non d'un discours.
... Les juges sont invités à préférer le style simple au style dit oratoire, et surtout les pensées au style.
Testament, septembre 1810
Nearly all the unhappiness in life comes from the false ideas that we have about what happens to us. To know men down to their foundations and to judge events sanely is therefore a great step toward happiness.
Journal, 19 frimaire, 10 december 1801
Presque tous les malheurs de la vie viennent des fausses idées que nous avons sur ce qui nous arrive. Connaître à fond les hommes, juger sainement des événements, est donc un grand pas vers le bonheur.
Journal, 19 frimaire, 10 decembre 1801
An array of bayonets or of guillotines cannot stop an opinion any more than a pile of louis [gold coins] can stop gout.
Correspondence. To Baron de Mareste, à Paris, Milan, the 21 december 1819
Une collection de baïonnettes ou de guillotines ne peut pas plus arrêter une opinion qu'une collection de louis ne peut arrêter la goutte.
Correspondance. Au Baron de Mareste, à Paris, Milan, le 21 décembre 1819
To increase the amount of happiness that exists here on earth, and never to cause useless harm; the folly of fasts, of sacrifices, etc... 1800 years were necessary from the time of Caesar to arrive at this conclusion.
Montaigne doubting the dogmas of ancient folly, that showed great merit...
Marginalia on Montaigne, Albano, september 1834
Augmenter la masse du bonheur qui existe ici-bas, ne jamais faire de mal inutile; de la sottise des carêmes, des sacrifices, etc... Il a fallu 1800 ans depuis César pour arriver là.
Montaigne doutant des dogmes de la sottise ancienne, voilà un grand mérite...
Marginalia sur un Montaigne, Albano, septembre 1834
The existence of the Inquisition itself will never prevent tender souls from sensing the sublimity of the doctrines of Jesus, let alone the existence of hypocrites whose carriages they pay for, and the existence of grave and moral men who demand consideration and power from them.
Walks in Rome, 5 october 1828
L'existence même de l'inquisition n'empêchera jamais les âmes tendres de sentir la sublimité des doctrines de Jésus, à plus forte raison l'existence des tartufes à qui elles donnent des carrosses, et l'existence des hommes graves et moraux qui leur demandent de la considération et du pouvoir.
Promenades dans Rome, 5 octobre 1828
A strange thing! The brillant age in Italy ended the moment when little blood-thirsty tyrants were replaced by moderated monarchs.
History of painting in Italy
Chose singulière! L'époque brillante de l'Italie finit au moment où les petits tyrans sanguinaires furent remplacés par des monarques modérés.
Histoire de la peinture en Italie
