Pensieri

First published in the Opere overseen by Ranieri in 1845 for Le Monnier, the one hundred and eleven Pensieri or Thoughts were probably composed between Florence and Naples 1832-1836; of 2 March 1837 is a letter to Louis de Sinner in which Leopardi announces he wishes to print: “ un volume inédit de Pensées sur les caractères des hommes et sur leur conduite dans la Société” (= “an unpublished volume of Thoughts on the character of men and their behaviour in Society”).

A book, thus, which discusses “ethics”; a compendium of the many reflections on the character of man, on his passions and on his behaviour in society, which had already been used as the basis for works such as the Discorso sui costumi degl’Italiani or the Operette morali (e.g. Il Parini, or i Detti memorabili di Filippo Ottonieri), up to the contemporary Palinodia, Paralipomeni and La ginestra.

The closest relationship is obviously with the Zibaldone, and indeed from the Zibaldone is drawn the major part of the Pensieri; but the process of rewriting and  stylistic refinement is such as to leave no doubt on the extraordinary autonomous value of this collection of aphorisms. 

It is here useful to quote some passages from Pensiero I, which serves the function of a prologue and underlines the importance of the “experience” of the “world”:

Io ho lungamente ricusato di creder vere le cose che dirò qui sotto, perché, oltre che la natura mia era troppo rimota da esse, e che l’animo tende sempre a giudicare gli altri da se medesimo, la mia inclinazione non è mai stata d’odiare gli uomini, ma di amarli. In ultimo l’esperienza me le ha persuase: e sono certo che quei lettori che si troveranno aver praticato cogli uomini molto e in diversi modi, confesseranno che quello ch’io sono per dire è vero; tutti gli altri lo terranno per esagerato, finché l’esperienza, se mai avranno occasione di veramente fare esperienza della società umana, non lo ponga loro dinanzi agli occhi.

Dico che il mondo è una lega di birbanti contro gli uomini da bene, e di vili contro i generosi. ...

I have long resisted believing to be true the things I am about to say, because, my nature being too far withdrawn from them, and given that we tend to judge others rather than ourselves, my inclination has never been to hate men, but love them. But in the end experience convinced me, and I am sure that readers who have had to deal with others a lot and in various ways will confess that that which I am about to say is true; all others will think it exaggerated, till experience, should they have the chance to really experience human society, does not put it before their eyes.

I say the world is a league of bad men against good men, and villains against those generous. ...

The edition that is considered the point of reference is edited by Matteo Durante (Accademia della Crusca, Florence 1998). August