Quotes about Adversity

To attempt, to brave, to persist, and persevere, to be faithful to one's self, to wrestle with destiny, to astound the catastrophe by the slight fear which is causes us, now to confront unjust power, again to insult intoxicated victory, to hold firm and withstand -- such is the example which nations need and the light which electrifies them.

All has happened to her that will happen to her. She has felt everything, borne everything, experienced everything, suffered everything, lost everything, mourned everything. She is resigned, with that resignation which resembles indifference, as death resembles sleep. She no longer avoids anything. Let all the clouds fall upon her, and all the ocean sweep over her! What matters it to her? She is a sponge that is soaked.

There are for each of us several parallelisms between our intelligence, our habits, and our character, which develop without a break, and break only in the great disturbances of life.

People who are overwhelmed with troubles never do look back. They know only too well that misfortune follows in their footsteps.

We live in the midst of a gloomy society. Success; that is the lesson which falls drop by drop from the slope of corruption.

It is the same with wretchedness as with everything else. It ends by becoming bearable.

He who has not been a determined accuser during prosperity should hold his peace in adversity.

Supreme resources spring from extreme resolutions. To embark in death is sometimes the means of escaping a shipwreck; and the lid of the coffin becomes a plank of safety.

Errors make excellent projectiles.

He saw nothing of all this. People who are crushed do not look behind them. They know but too well the evil fate which follows them.

Great perils have this fine characteristic, that they bring to light the fraternity of strangers.

Hope in a child who has never known anything but despair is a sweet and touching thing.