Thursday, March 24, 2011

Quotes from "Rameau's Nephew" by Denis Diderot

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Some words spoken by the main character of the novel "Rameau's Nephew" written by Denis Diderot in 1762:
 ". . . putting his right hand to his chest, he added, "I feel something there rising up—it says to me, 'Rameau, you'll do none of that.' There must be a certain dignity attached to human nature which nothing can extinguish. The most trivial thing will awaken it—something trifling. There are other days when it would cost me nothing to be as vile as anyone could wish . . ."
". . . How come there are ten thousand fine tables in Paris, each with fifteen or twenty places, and there's no place for you! There are purses full of gold spilling over left and right, and no piece falls on you! A thousand fine half wits without talent or merit, a thousand tiny creatures without charm, a thousand insipid schemers are well dressed, and you'd walk around naked? In this business how could you be so stupid? Couldn't you lie, swear, forswear, promise, and then perform or fail to perform, like everyone else? Couldn't you crawl on hands and knees like the others? . . . . ."

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