Nations, like families, have great men only in spite of themselves. They do everything in their power not to have any. And therefore, the great man, in order to exist, must possess a force of attack which is greater than the force of resistance developed by millions of people.

There are in every man, always, two simultaneous allegiances, one to God, the other to Satan. Invocation of God, or Spirituality, is a desire to climb higher; that of Satan, or animality, is delight in descent.

The artist is today and has been for many years, despite his absence of merit, simply a spoiled child. So many honors, so much money bestowed on men without souls and without education.

Every healthy man can do without food for two days — but without poetry, never!

Genius is nothing more or less than childhood recovered by will, a childhood how equipped for self-expression with an adult's capacities.

The poet enjoys the incomparable privilege of being able to be himself and others, as he wishes.

Who would dare assign to art the sterile function of imitating nature?