The friend who holds up before me the mirror, conceals not my smallest faults, warns me kindly, reproves me affectionately, when I have not performed my duty, he is my friend, however little he may appear so. But if a man praises and lauds me, never reproves me, overlooks my faults, and forgives them before I have repented, he is my enemy, however much he may appear my friend.

The working of revolutions misleads me no more; it is as necessary to our race as its waves to the stream, that it may not be a stagnant marsh. Ever renewed in its forms, the genius of humanity blossoms.

Each nationality contains its centre of happiness within itself, as a bullet the centre of gravity.

We live in a world we ourselves create.

Man is a central creature between the animals, that is to say, the most perfect form, which unites the traits of all in the most complete epitome.

To think what is true, to sense what is beautiful and to want what is good, hereby the spirit finds purpose of a life in reason.

A poet is the creator of the nation around him, he gives them a world to see and has their souls in his hand to lead them to that world.