A country is strong which consists of wealthy families, every member of whom is interested in defending a common treasure; it is weak when composed of scattered individuals, to whom it matters little whether they obey seven or one, a Russian or a Corsican, so long as each keeps his own plot of land, blind in their wretched egotism, to the fact that the day is coming when this too will be torn from them.
Honore de BalzacNobody loves a woman because she is handsome or ugly, stupid or intelligent. We love because we love.
Honore de BalzacI'm a great poet. I don't put my poems on paper: they consist of actions and feelings.
Honore de Balzac