The study of social progress is to-day not less needed in literature than is the analysis of the human heart.

France, for example, loves at the same time history and the drama, because the one explores the vast destinies of humanity, and the other the individual lot of man.

On the day when man told the story of his life to man, history was born.

One might almost reckon mathematically that, having undergone the double composition of public opinion and of the author, their history reaches us at third hand and is thus separated by two stages from the original fact.

I admit that I myself am far from having a complete command of every topic I touch on, but my knowledge of my subject is always greater than the interest or the understanding of my auditors. You see, there is one very good thing about mankind; the mediocre masses make very few demands of the mediocrities of a higher order, submitting stupidly and cheerfully to their guidance

Doubt is the freedom of thought. Any claim to truth can be doubted.

Fainthearted animals move about in herds. The lion walks alone in the desert. Let the poet always walk thus.