“Almost all our misfortunes in life come from the wrong notions we have about the things that happen to us.”

—  Stendhal

Journal entry (10 December 1801)
Context: Almost all our misfortunes in life come from the wrong notions we have about the things that happen to us. To know men thoroughly, to judge events sanely, is, therefore, a great step towards happiness.

Original

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.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update Dec. 19, 2024. History

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Stendhal 50
French writer 1783–1842

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