“ A man's life would be intolerable if he knew what is to befall him. He would be aware of calamities to come and suffer their pains in advance, while he would get no joy of present blessings whose end he would foresee. Ignorance is a necessary condition of human happiness, and it must be owned that in most cases we fulfil it well. We know almost nothing about ourselves ”
Anatole France, The Gods Are Athirst (1912). copy citation
| Author | Anatole France |
|---|---|
| Source | The Gods Are Athirst |
| Topic | happiness pain |
| Date | 1912 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | Translated by Mrs. Wilfrid Jackson |
| Weblink | https://www.gutenberg.org/files/24010/24010-h/24010-h.htm |
Context
“"It is seldom those who make a trade of foretelling the future grow rich. Their impostures are too soon found out and their trickery renders them odious. But indeed we should be bound to detest them much worse if they prophesied truly. A man's life would be intolerable if he knew what is to befall him. He would be aware of calamities to come and suffer their pains in advance, while he would get no joy of present blessings whose end he would foresee. Ignorance is a necessary condition of human happiness, and it must be owned that in most cases we fulfil it well. We know almost nothing about ourselves; absolutely nothing about our neighbours. Ignorance constitutes our peace of mind; self-deception our felicity."
The citoyenne Gamelin set the soup on the table, said the Benedicite and seated her son and her guest at the board.”
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