 |
Henri-Frederic AmielSwiss writer, poet, thinker and essayist
Date of Birth: 28.09.1821
Country:  Switzerland |
Content:
Biography of Henri Frédéric Amiel
Henri Frédéric Amiel, a Swiss writer, poet, and essayist, was born in 1821 in Geneva, Switzerland. His ancestors were Huguenots who had fled to Switzerland. Tragedy struck at an early age when Amiel became an orphan at the age of 13. His mother died of tuberculosis, and his father, unable to cope with the loss, took his own life by jumping into a river. Amiel was raised by his uncle.
After completing school and college, Amiel traveled extensively, visiting Switzerland, Italy, France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. During this time, he immersed himself in the intellectual elite of Europe and conducted extensive research on German philosophy in Berlin.
In 1849, Amiel was appointed as a professor of aesthetics at the Academy of Geneva, and in 1854, he became a professor of moral philosophy. He remained the head of the moral philosophy department until his death. Alongside his teaching career, Amiel wrote several collections of poetry, historical novels, and published his essays.
However, his most significant literary work was his "Journal Intime" or "Intimate Diary," which he started in 1839. These personal writings were published posthumously, and Amiel gained recognition posthumously as well. His "Journal" was later recognized as a masterpiece of soul analysis, studied by many prominent writers. The "Journal Intime" of Amiel has been published in 12 volumes and translated into several languages.
Amiel gained the most fame for his aphorisms. He is credited with popular phrases such as "Moments are long, but years are fleeting," "A woman is the salvation or ruin of a family," and "Marriage should be an endless mutual education," among many others. It is worth noting that Amiel wrote in French.
His aphorisms ranged from incredibly humorous, such as "Just plug your ears in a dance hall to imagine yourself in a madhouse," to profound and philosophical, like "Habits are more important than rules for conduct in life, as habits are living rules that become instinct and flesh. Life is nothing but a fabric of habits."
