Quotessence
Home / Authors / Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Quotes

Philosopher

Filter quotes by topic

AllMenIfsPeopleMayPhilosophicalKnowsSocial ContractHeartChildrenLibertyLawReasonSoulWorldBodyDoeStatesThinkingShouldDesire

Famous Jean-Jacques Rousseau Quotes

“People who know little are usually great talkers, while men who know much say little. It is plain that an ignorant person thinks everything he does know important, and he tells it to everybody. But a well-educated man is not so ready to display his learning; he would have too much to say, and he sees that there is much more to be said, so he holds his peace.”

PeopleThinkingKnowsMenWellsLittlesPersonsDoeSaidImportantKnowledgeToo MuchReadyIgnorantEducatedDisplayTalkersWell EducatedEducated ManIgnorant Person
Book:Emile
Create image

“Our passions are the chief means of self-preservation; to try to destroy them is therefore as absurd as it is useless; this would be to overcome nature, to reshape God's handiwork. If God bade man annihilate the passions he has given him, God would bid him be and not be; He would contradict himself. He has never given such a foolish commandment, there is nothing like it written on the heart of man, and what God will have a man do, He does not leave to the words of another man. He speaks Himself; His words are written in the secret heart.”

IfsMenTryingHeartMeanDoeSelfWould BePassionSpeakGivenSecretWrittenOvercomingFoolishGods WillAbsurdChiefsUselessCommandmentsPreservationAnother ManSelf PreservationHandiwork
Book:Emile: Or, On Education
Create image

“Equality is deemed by many a mere speculative chimera, which can never be reduced to practice. But if the abuse is inevitable, does it follow that we ought not to try at least to mitigate it? It is precisely because the force of things tends always to destroy equality that the force of the legislature must always tend to maintain it.”

IfsTryingDoeForcePracticeOughtAbuseMereEqualityInevitableLegislatureChimera
Book:An Inquiry into the Nature of the Social Contract; or principles of political right. Translated from the French
Create image

“Your first duty is to be humane. Love childhood. Look with friendly eyes on its games, its pleasures, its amiable dispositions. Which of you does not sometimes look back regretfully on the age when laughter was ever on the lips and the heart free of care? Why steal from the little innocents the enjoyment of a time that passes all too quickly?”

FirstsLooksHeartLittlesDoeSometimesEyeCareAgeGamesPleasureTeachingChildhoodDutyLaughterLipsStealingEnjoymentFriendlyDispositionHumaneChildren LoveAmiable
Author:Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Create image

“I also realized that the philosophers, far from ridding me of my vain doubts, only multiplied the doubts that tormented me and failed to remove any one of them. So I chose another guide and said, Let me follow the Inner Light; it will not lead me so far astray as others have done, or if it does it will be my own fault, and I shall not go so far wrong if I follow my own illusions as if I trusted to their deceits.”

IfsDoeSaidDonePhilosophyLightMy OwnDoubtIllusionLet MeFaultsPhilosopherGuidesVainDeceitRemoveTrustedLeading MeInner Light
Book:The indispensable Rousseau
Create image