The sight of so many ruins destroys any desire to build shanties; all this ancient dust makes one indifferent to fame.

…je ne serai jamais qu'un écrivailleur honni, un vaniteux misérable. // l shall never be anything but a despised scribbler, a poor conceited fool.

What is glory? It is to have a lot of nonsense talked about you.

I do not like to "interest" the public with myself.