“ A man's life would be intolerable if he knew what is to befall him. ”
Anatole France, The Gods Are Athirst (1912). copy citation
| Author | Anatole France |
|---|---|
| Source | The Gods Are Athirst |
| Topic | ignorance destiny |
| 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.”
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Meaning and analysis
