Madame de Stael Quotes - Page 6

Genius is essentially creative; it bears the stamp of the individual who possesses it.

We understand death only after it has placed its hands on someone we love.

Liberty is the only idea which circulates with the human blood, in all ages, in all countries, and in all literature - liberty that is, and what cannot be separated from liberty, a love of country.

Speech happens to not be his language.

How much past there is in a life, however brief it be.

The sense of this word among the Greeks affords the noblest definition of it; enthusiasm signifies 'God in us.'

Good taste cannot supply the place of genius in literature, for the best proof of taste, when there is no genius, would be, not to write at all.

The evil arising from mental improvement can be corrected only by a still further progress in that very improvement. Either morality is a fable, or the more enlightened we are, the more attached to it we become.

In women's destiny everything goes downhill except for thought, whose immortal nature it is to keep constantly rising.

One must choose in life between boredom and suffering.

Happy the land where the writers are sad, the merchants satisfied, the rich melancholic, and the populace content.

a perfect piece of architecture kindles that aimless reverie, which bears the soul we know not whither.

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.

Conscience is doubtless sufficient to conduct the coldest character into the road of virtue; but enthusiasm is to conscience what honor is to duty; there is in us a superfluity of soul, which it is sweet to consecrate to the beautiful when the good has been accomplished.

When at eve, at the bounding of the landscape, the heavens appear to recline so slowly on the earth, imagination pictures beyond the horizon an asylum of hope, - a native land of love; and nature seems silently to repeat that man is immortal.

[On Napoleon:] One has the impression of an imperious wind blowing about one's ears when one is near that man.

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.

The thing that must be preserved in all situations whatever is the reputation of one's character.

There is no reality on this earth except religion and the power of love; all the rest is even more fugitive than life itself.

[Moralistic] novels are at the same disadvantage as teachers: children never believe them, because they make everything that happens relate to the lesson at hand.

there is not enough interest in life to spread over twenty-four hours when one can't sleep.

The education of life perfects the thinking mind, but depraves the frivolous.

inventiveness is childish, practice sublime.

Life resembles Gobelin tapestry; you do not see the canvass on the right side; but when you turn it, the threads are visible.

There is no second country for an Englishman, except a ship and the sea.