“ A man who prides himself on going in a straight line through life is an idiot who believes in infallibility. ”
Honoré de Balzac, Father Goriot (1835). copy citation
| Author | Honoré de Balzac |
|---|---|
| Source | Father Goriot |
| Topic | pride life |
| Date | 1835 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | Translated by Ellen Marriage |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1237/1237-h/1237-h.htm |
Context
“he is not one of those fools who never change their opinions. Of all pieces of advice, my cherub, I would give you this—don’t stick to your opinions any more than to your words. If any one asks you for them, let him have them—at a price. A man who prides himself on going in a straight line through life is an idiot who believes in infallibility. There are no such things as principles; there are only events, and there are no laws but those of expediency: a man of talent accepts events and the circumstances in which he finds himself, and turns everything to his own ends.”
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