Man is a simple being, and however rich, varied, and unfathomable he may be, the cycle of his situations is soon run through.

What makes poetry? A full heart, brimful of one noble passion.

Patriotism ruins history.

Mankind? That is an abstraction. There have always been and always will be only individuals.

Error is acceptable as long as we are young; but one must not drag it along into old age.

You must either conquer and rule or serve and lose, suffer or triumph, be the anvil or the hammer.

People will allow their faults to be shown them; they will let themselves be punished for them; they will patiently endure many things because of them; they only become impatient when they have to lay them aside.