The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard is the first novel by Anatole France, published in 1881. With this work, one of his first written entirely in prose, he made himself known as a novelist; he had been primarily known as a poet affiliated with Parnassianism. The novel received the Académie française prize.
“I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the wisdom of indifference.”
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
J'ai toujours préféré la folie des passions à la sagesse de l'indifférence.
Pt. II, ch. 4
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
Variant: I prefer the errors of enthusiasm to the wisdom of indifference.
“Man is so made that he can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another.”
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
L'homme est ainsi fait qu'il ne se délasse d'un travail que par un autre.
Pt. II, ch. 4
Source: The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
“Time deals gently only with those who take it gently.”
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
Source: The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
“To know is nothing at all; to imagine is everything.”
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
Savoir n'est rien, imaginer est tout.
Pt. II, ch. 2
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
Tous les changements, même les plus souhaités ont leur mélancolie, car ce que nous quittons, c'est une partie de nous-mêmes; il faut mourir à une vie pour entrer dans une autre.
Pt. II, ch. 4
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
L'art d'enseigner n'est que l'art d'éveiller la curiosité des jeunes âmes pour la satisfaire ensuite.
Pt. II, ch. 4
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
“People who have no weaknesses are terrible; there is no way of taking advantage of them.”
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
Pt. II, ch. 4
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
“All the historical books which contain no lies are extremely tedious.”
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
Les livres d'histoire qui ne mentent pas sont tout fort maussades.
La Bûche [The Log] (December 24, 1849)
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
Variant: History books that contain no lies are extremely dull.
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
Il se flattait d'être sans préjugés, et cette prétention était à elle seule un gros préjugé.
Pt. II, ch. 4
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
Les hommes qui se sont occupés du bonheur des peuples ont rendu leurs proches bien malheureux.
Pt. II, ch. 4
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
“Lovers who love truly do not write down their happiness.”
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
Les amants qui aiment bien n'écrivent pas leur bonheur.
La Bûche [The Log] (November 30, 1859)
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
“I do not know any reading more easy, more fascinating, more delightful than a catalogue.”
Anatole France book The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard
La Bûche [The Log] (December 24, 1849)
The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard (1881)
