1830 Quotes

“The idea which tyrants find most useful is the idea of God.”
― Stendhal, The Red and the Black

“Each man for himself in that desert of egoism which is called life.”
― Stendhal, The Red and the Black

“I think being condemned to death is the only real distinction," said Mathilde. "It is the only thing which cannot be bought.”
― Stendhal, The Red and the Black

“Could anything possibly be more humorous than believing in the depth or in the depravity of the Parisian character?”
― Stendhal, The Red and the Black

“Oh, if there were only a true religion. Fool that I am, I see a Gothic cathedral and venerable stained-glass windows, and my weak heart conjures up the priest to fit the scene. My soul would understand him, my soul has need of him. I only find a nincompoop with dirty hair.”
― Stendhal, The Red and the Black

“I will never demean myself to speak about my courage," said Julien, coldly, "it would be mean to do so. Let the world judge by the facts.”
― Stendhal, The Red and the Black

“Since the time of Voltaire and two-chamber Government, which is at bottom simply distrust and personal self-examination, and gives the popular mind that bad habit of being suspicious, the Church of France seems to have realised that books are its real enemies.”
― Stendhal, The Red and the Black

“Chélan had acted as imprudently for Julien as he had for himself. He had given him the habit of reasoning correctly, and of not being put off by empty words, but he had neglected to tell him that this habit was a crime in the person of no importance, since every piece of logical reasoning is offensive.”
― Stendhal, The Red and the Black

“Moedig Belgisch volk, jullie hebben op beslissende wijze overwonnen! Zorg er nu voor om voordeel uit die overwinning te halen, jullie vijanden zijn verstomd, laten we geen moment verliezen, laten we ons verenigen rond het voorlopig bewind, dat er dankzij u is gekomen, twijfel er niet aan dat de brandstichters, die jullie zo vernederend uit jullie hoofdstad hebben verdreven al nieuwe misdaden beramen. Gedaan met aarzelen en ontzien, we moeten voorgoed de moordenaars uit ons huis verjagen die hier te vuur en te zwaard te werk zijn gegaan, hebben verkracht en vernield. We dienen onze moeders, onze vrouwen, onze kinderen en onze eigendommen te redden, wij moeten leven als vrije mensen, of ons begraven onder een berg van as. Laten we eendrachtig zijn beste landgenoten, dan zijn wij onoverwinnelijk, de ware orde, ze is onontbeerlijk om onze onafhankelijkheid te behouden. Lang leve België!”
― Louis De Potter