Henri B. Stendhal Quotes

A collection of quotes by Henri B. Stendhal.

Henri B. Stendhal, born Marie-Henri Beyle in 1783, was a prominent French writer and author. Known for his insightful and realistic portrayal of human emotions, Stendhal is considered one of the pioneers of literary realism. His most notable works include "The Red and the Black" and "The Charterhouse of Parma," which are renowned for their psychological depth and innovative narrative style. Stendhal's writing often explored themes of love, ambition, and hypocrisy, making him a significant influence on subsequent generations of writers. Despite facing initial critical indifference, his works have since garnered widespread acclaim and continue to be celebrated in the realm of classic literature.

Nothing is so hideous as an obsolete fashion.

Nothing is so hideous as an obsolete fashion.

Henri B. Stendhal

One can acquire everything in solitude except character.

One can acquire everything in solitude except character.

Henri B. Stendhal

The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their i

The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same.

Henri B. Stendhal

Since I am a man, my heart is three or four times less sensi

Since I am a man, my heart is three or four times less sensitive, because I have three or four times as much power of reason and experience of the world -- a thing which you women call hard-heartedness. As a man, I can take refuge in having mistresses. The more of them I have, and the greater the scandal, the more I acquire reputation and brilliance in society.

Henri B. Stendhal

A novel is a mirror carried along a main road.

A novel is a mirror carried along a main road.

Henri B. Stendhal

The great majority of men, especially in France, both desire

The great majority of men, especially in France, both desire and possess a fashionable woman, much in the way one might own a fine horse -- as a luxury befitting a young man.

Henri B. Stendhal

True love makes the thought of death frequent, easy, without

True love makes the thought of death frequent, easy, without terrors; it merely becomes the standard of comparison, the price one would pay for many things.

Henri B. Stendhal

I think no woman I have had ever gave me so sweet a moment,

I think no woman I have had ever gave me so sweet a moment, or at so light a price, as the moment I owe to a newly heard musical phrase.

Henri B. Stendhal