Certain brief sentences are peerless in their ability to give one the feeling that nothing remains to be said.
Interpretation
Some concise statements encapsulate profound truths, leaving no room for further discussion.
This quote reflects the power of words and the impact of succinct expressions. Jean Rostand suggests that certain brief sentences possess a unique quality that conveys deep meaning, rendering them so complete that they eliminate the need for additional commentary. Such sentences can evoke strong feelings and encapsulate truths that resonate profoundly with people, highlighting the beauty and effectiveness of simplicity in communication.
In practice
During a speech on effective communication, one might quote this to emphasize the power of brevity.
If a given scientist had not made a given discovery, someone else would have done so a little later. Johann Mendel dies unknown after having discovered the laws of heredity: thirty-five years later, three men rediscover them. But the book that is not written will never be written. The premature death of a great scientist delays humanity; that of a great writer deprives it.
My pessimism extends to the point of even suspecting the sincerity of other pessimists.
We spend our time envying people whom we wouldn't wish to be.
Stupidity, outrage, vanity, cruelty, iniquity, bad faith, falsehood - we fail to see the whole array when it is facing in the same direction as we.
When a scientist is ahead of his times, it is often through misunderstanding of current, rather than intuition of future truth. In science there is never any error so gross that it won't one day, from some perspective, appear prophetic.
A few great minds are enough to endow humanity with monstrous power, but a few great hearts are not enough to make us worthy of using it.
Spare yourselves from the indulgence of self-pity. It is always self-defeating. Subdue the negative and emphasize the positive.
Improve your spare moments and they will become the brightest gems in your life.
Guns aren't lawful; nooses give; gas smells awful. So you might as well live.
Let nobody bribe you away from being yourself.
Without reflection, we go blindly on our way.
Both now and for always, I intend to hold fast to my belief in the hidden strength of the human spirit.
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