# Stendhal's most famous quotes (with their source)

The novel as "a mirror walking along a main road", crystallisation, "beauty is only the promise of happiness" and "To the happy few": Stendhal's most quoted sentences, each with the book it comes from.

- 12 votes · 11 items
- Mar 3, 2021 · toutou_bordeaux
- https://even.best/en/l/5184/stendhal-s-most-famous-quotes-with-their-source

## Top 11

1. **What I call crystallisation is the operation of the mind that draws from everything it meets the discovery that the beloved has new perfections.** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — "On Love", 1822.
2. **Politics in the middle of matters of imagination is like a pistol shot in the middle of a concert.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "The Red and the Black", 1830.
3. **True passions are selfish.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "The Red and the Black", 1830.
4. **He who excuses himself accuses himself.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "The Red and the Black", 1830.
5. **I had reached that point of emotion where the heavenly sensations given by the fine arts meet passionate feeling.** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — "Rome, Naples and Florence", 1817, at Santa Croce in Florence: the origin of "Stendhal syndrome".
6. **The idea most useful to tyrants is that of God.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — "The Red and the Black", 1830.
7. **To the happy few.** (0 · ▲1 ▼1) — Last line of "The Charterhouse of Parma", 1839 (also at the end of "The Red and the Black").
8. **The worst misfortune in prison \[…\] is not being able to close your door.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "The Red and the Black", 1830.
9. **The thought of privilege had withered that ever so delicate plant called happiness.** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — "The Charterhouse of Parma", 1839.
10. **A novel is a mirror walking along a main road.** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — "The Red and the Black", 1830.
11. **Beauty is only the promise of happiness.** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — "On Love", 1822.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.