One can acquire everything in solitude except character.

Nooit zal hij een goed priester worden of een belangrijk ambtenaar. Zulke licht ontroerde geesten kunnen hoogstens kunstenaar worden.

An insane self-consciousness made him commit thousands of blunders.

But, if I sample this pleasure so prudently and circumspectly, it will no longer be a pleasure.

I think being condemned to death is the only real distinction," said Mathilde. "It is the only thing which cannot be bought.

Love of the head has doubtless more intelligence than true love, but it only has moments of enthusiasm. It knows itself too well, it sits in judgement on itself incessantly; far from distracting thought, it is made by sheer force of thought.

The first virtue of a young man today - that is, for the next fifty years perhaps, as long as we live in fear, and religion has regained its powers - is to be incapable of enthusiasm and not to have much in the way of brains.