Man’s most valuable faculty is his imagination.
The most careful reasoning characters are very often the most easily abashed.
Divine Wisdom, intending to detain us some time on earth, has done well to cover with a veil the prospect of the life to come; for if our sight could clearly distinguish the opposite bank, who would remain on this tempestuous coast of time?
What matters in a character is not whether one holds this or that opinion: what matters is how proudly one upholds it.
Love which is only an episode in the life of men, is the entire history of the life of women.
The pursuit of politics is religion, morality, and poetry all in one.
The face of a woman, whatever be the force or extent of her mind, whatever be the importance of the object she pursues, is always an obstacle or a reason in the story of her life.
When we destroy an old prejudice, we have need of a new virtue.
To pray together, in whatever tongue or ritual, is the most tender brotherhood of hope and sympathy that man can contract in this life.
I believe that happiness consists in having a destiny in keeping with our abilities. Our desires are things of the moment, often harmful even to ourselves; but our abilities are permanent, and their demands never cease.
The soul is a fire that darts its rays through all the senses; it is in this fire that existence consists; all the observations and all the efforts of philosophers ought to turn towards this Me, the centre and moving power of our sentiments and our ideas.
Courage of soul is necessary for the triumphs of genius.
Music revives the recollections it would appease.
Morality must guide calculation, and calculation must guide politics.
I learn life from the poets.
Let us then blend everything: love, religion, genius, with sunshine, perfume, music, and poetry.
Purity of mind and conduct is the first glory of a woman.
The only equitable manner in my opinion, of judging the character of a man is to examine if there are personal calculations in his conduct; if there are not, we may blame his manner of judging, but we are not the less bound to esteem him.
Men have made of fortune an all-powerful goddess, in order that she may be made responsible for all their blunder’s.
Society develops wit, but its contemplation alone forms genius.