Judging for oneself
Knowing that the earth revolves around the sun doesn’t take us very far, not for happiness, not for wisdom, not for justice. A subtle man, well versed in the sciences, wanted to conclude from this that a lot of fuss
Experience
Our distant ancestors were no more stupid than we are. Like us, they had all their experiences to hand; like us, they were within experience; their slightest movements changed the total experience, as ours do; even their thoughts were within
Self-government
Plato has said some marvellous things on self-government, showing that this interior government should be aristocratic, that is to say, ruled by what is better over what is worse. By the better he means what in each of us knows
The stars as models
Yesterday evening the Great Bear stretched out along the edge of the horizon. Cassiopeia lifted her lanterns in a zigzag on the far side of the North Star. Vega, the blue star, was shining at the summit of the sky.
Crainte est maladie
Je me souviens d’un canonnier qui lisait dans les mains. Il était bûcheron de son métier et formé par cette vie sauvage à l’interprétation immédiate des signes ; je suppose qu’à l’imitation de quelque autre sorcier il s’était mis à observer
Friendship
There are marvellous joys in friendship. This is easily understood if we notice that joy is contagious. If my presence gives joy to a friend, the sight of this joy is enough to make me feel joy in turn; so
The dining hall smell
There is a dining hall smell, which is the same in all dining halls. Whether it is monks eating there, or trainee priests, or schoolchildren, both boys and girls, a dining hall always has its dining hall smell. It can’t
Grève des cheminots
Cette grève des cheminots, dont on parle ces temps, est une chose obscure à considérer. La plupart des citoyens s’accordent à dire que, dans les grèves, le droit des uns et des autres doit être respecté et protégé par les
Produire n’est pas une fin
Le syndicalisme ouvrier est radical, et ne s’en doute pas. Cela me fait comprendre que les formes politiques ne dépendent pas beaucoup des doctrines abstraites. Tout se fait selon une autre logique. Les ouvriers sentent la main du maître, et
Le pinson
« Le Pinson ; joli sujet. » Ainsi parle l’Inspecteur, homme doux, qui a publié en sa jeunesse un recueil de poésies. Si c’était le Plectre d’Ivoire, ou la Corde d’Argent, ou la Flûte à Neuf Trous, personne n’en sait plus rien ; mais