In this Journal, my pen is a delicate needle point, tracing out a graph of temperament so as to show its daily fluctuations: grave... and gay, up and down, lamentation and revelry, self-love and self-disgust. You get here all my thoughts and opinions, always irresponsible and often contradictory or mutually exclusive, all my moods and vapours, all the varying reactions to environment of this jelly which is I.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
A journal intime is a super-confidante to whom everything is told and confessed. For an engaged or married man to have a secret su...per-confidante who knows things which are concealed from his lady seems to me to be deliberate infidelity. I am as it were engaged to two women and one of them is being deceived...I would have my wife know all about me and if I cannot be loved for what I surely am, I do not want to be loved for what I am not. If I continue to write therefore she shall read what I have written.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
In the evening my wife insisted to read this journal, and, finding in it such explicit instances of licentiousness, she was much a...ffected and told me that she had come to a resolution never again to consider herself my wife; though for the sake of her children and mine, as a friend, she would preserve appearances. When I saw her in great uneasiness, and dreaded somewhat--though not with much apprehension--her resolution, I was awaked from my dream of licentiousness, and saw my bad conduct in a shocking light.... She comforted me with hopes of my amendment.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along? Can we get along? Can we stop making it, making it horrible for the ol...der people and the kids? A man cannot know himself better than by attending to the feelings of his heart and to his external actions, from which he may with tolerable certainty judge "what manner of person he is." I have therefore determined to keep a daily journal.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I cannot express the pleasure I have in writing down my thoughts [in her journal], at the very moment--my opinion of people when I... first see them, and how I alter, or how confirm myself in it--and I am much deceived in my foresight, if I shall not have very great delight in reading this living proof of my manner of passing my time, my sentiments, my thoughts of people I know, and a thousand other things in future.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
To Nobody, then, will I write my journal! since to Nobody can I be wholly unreserved--to Nobody can I reveal every thought, every ...wish of my heart, with the most unlimited confidence, the most unremitting sincerity to the end of my life! For what chance, what accident can end my connections with Nobody? No secret can I conceal from No--body, and to No--body can I be ever unreserved. Disagreement cannot stop our affection, Time itself has no power to end our friendship. The love, the esteem I entertain for Nobody, No-body's self has not power to destroy. From Nobody I have nothing to fear, the secrets sacred to friendship, Nobody will not reveal, when the affair is doubtful, Nobody will not look towards the side least favourable.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I never pretend to be so superior a being as to be above having and indulging a hobby horse [her journal writing], and while I kee...p mine within due bounds and limits, nobody, I flatter myself, would wish to deprive me of the poor animal: to be sure, he is not formed for labour, and is rather lame and weak, but then the dear creature is faithful, constant, and loving, and though he sometimes prances, would not kick anyone into the mire, or hurt a single soul for the world--and I would not part with him for one who could win the greatest prize that ever was won at any races.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
How truly does this journal contain my real and undisguised thoughts--I always write it according to the humour I am in, and if a ...stranger was to think it worth reading, how capricious--insolent & whimsical I must appear!--one moment flighty and half mad,--the next sad and melancholy. No matter! Its truth and simplicity are its sole recommendations.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
I have been wavering in my mind whether I should ever again touch this journal, unless it were to commit it to the flames--for thi...s same mind of mine would fain persuade me that this journal of mine is a very ridiculous, trifling and useless affair ... but I felt at the same time a regret, a loss of something in forbearing to here unburden myself ... and now that I once more have taken courage to begin, I think I already feel twice the content I did while this dear little book was neglected.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
To have some account of my thoughts, manners, acquaintance and actions, when the hour arrives in which time is more nimble than me...mory, is the reason which induces me to keep a journal: a journal in which I must confess my every thought, must open my whole heart!LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »