black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

The Russians imitate French ways, but always at a distance of fifty years.

Stendhal

Signs cannot be represented, in a spy’s report, so damningly as words.
STENDHAL

Report Representation Word
The more a race is governed by its passions, the less it has acquired the habit of cautious and reasoned argument, the more intense will be its love of music.
STENDHAL

Government Habit Music Passion Race Reason
A novel is a mirror carried along a main road.
STENDHAL

Carry Main Mirror Novel Road
Napoleon was indeed the man sent by God to help the youth of France! Who is to take his place?
STENDHAL

God Help Man Place Youth
The difference breeds hatred.
STENDHAL

Breed Difference Hate One Liner
What is really beautiful must always be true.
STENDHAL

Beautiful True
At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.
STENDHAL

Authority Distance Sight Subject
I see but one rule: to be clear.
STENDHAL

Clear Rule See
Women are always eagerly on the lookout for any emotion.
STENDHAL

Emotion Search Woman
The first virtue of a young man today – that is, for the next fifty years perhaps, as long as we live in fear, and religion has regained its powers – is to be incapable of enthusiasm and not to have much in the way of brains.
STENDHAL

Brain Fear Live Man Power Regain Religion Virtue Way Young
One-half, the finest half, of life is hidden from the man who does not love with passion.
STENDHAL

Fine Hide Love Man Passion
The first qualification for a historian is to have no ability to invent.
STENDHAL

Ability History Invention Qualification
Pleasure is often spoiled by describing it.
STENDHAL

Description Happiness Spoil
It is the nobility of their style which will make our writers of 1840 unreadable forty years from now.
STENDHAL

Noble Past Reading Style Time Writing
I am mad, I am going under, I must follow the advice of a friend, and pay no heed to myself.
STENDHAL

Advice Friendship Mad Myself Pay
I call “crystallization” that action of the mind that discovers fresh perfections in its beloved at every turn of events.
STENDHAL

Action Crystal Discover Event Mindset

The Russians imitate French ways, but always at a distance of fifty years.

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The Russians imitate French ways, but always at a distance of fifty years.

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Popular Authors

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