38 Quotes By Joseph Conrad


I take it that what all men are really after is some form or perhaps only some formula of peace.
Joseph Conrad on peace

The sea - this truth must be confessed - has no generosity. No display of manly qualities - courage, hardihood, endurance, faithfulness - has ever been known to touch its irresponsible consciousness of power.
Joseph Conrad on power

He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.
Joseph Conrad on power

A man's real life is that accorded to him in the thoughts of other men by reason of respect or natural love.
Joseph Conrad on respect

It is a maudlin and indecent verity that comes out through the strength of wine.
Joseph Conrad on strength

Each blade of grass has its spot on earth whence it draws its life, its strength and so is man rooted to the land from which he draws his faith together with his life.
Joseph Conrad on strength

Some great men owe most of their greatness to the ability of detecting in those they destine for their tools the exact quality of strength that matters for their work.
Joseph Conrad on strength

To a teacher of languages there comes a time when the world is but a place of many words and man appears a mere talking animal not much more wonderful than a parrot.
Joseph Conrad on teacher

Woe to the man whose heart has not learned while young to hope, to love - and to put its trust in life.
Joseph Conrad on trust

He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.
Joseph Conrad on trust

The sea - this truth must be confessed - has no generosity. No display of manly qualities - courage, hardihood, endurance, faithfulness - has ever been known to touch its irresponsible consciousness of power.
Joseph Conrad on truth

A caricature is putting the face of a joke on the body of a truth.
Joseph Conrad on truth

Only in men's imagination does every truth find an effective and undeniable existence. Imagination, not invention, is the supreme master of art as of life.
Joseph Conrad on truth

Truth of a modest sort I can promise you, and also sincerity. That complete, praiseworthy sincerity which, while it delivers one into the hands of one's enemies, is as likely as not to embroil one with one's friends.
Joseph Conrad on truth

Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists principally in dealing with men.
Joseph Conrad on women

As to honor - you know - it's a very fine mediaeval inheritance which women never got hold of. It wasn't theirs.
Joseph Conrad on women

All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.
Joseph Conrad on success

The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.
Joseph Conrad on wickedness