The life of famous men was more glorious in antiquity; the life of obscure men is happier with the moderns.
Madame de StaelGenius inspires this thirst for fame: there is no blessing undesired by those to whom Heaven gave the means of winning it.
Madame de Staelintellect is a sin that must be atoned for by leading exactly the life of those who have none.
Madame de Staelwomen have no existence except in love; the history of their life begins and ends with love!
Madame de Stael[Moralistic] novels are at the same disadvantage as teachers: children never believe them, because they make everything that happens relate to the lesson at hand.
Madame de StaelOnly the refined and delicate pleasures that spring from research and education can build up barriers between different ranks.
Madame de StaelThe only equitable manner in my opinion, of judging the character of a man is to examine if there are personal calculations in his conduct; if there are not, we may blame his manner of judging, but we are not the less bound to esteem him.
Madame de StaelThought can never be compared with action, but when it awakens in us the image of truth.
Madame de StaelThe entire social order ... is arrayed against a woman who wants to rise to a man's reputation.
Madame de Staela perfect piece of architecture kindles that aimless reverie, which bears the soul we know not whither.
Madame de StaelHave you not observed that faith is generally strongest in those whose character may be called the weakest?
Madame de StaelThe most beautiful landscapes in the world, if they evoke no memory, if they bear no trace of a remarkable event, are uninteresting compared to historic landscapes.
Madame de StaelNew doctrines ever displease the old. They like to fancy that the world has been losing wisdom, instead of gaining it, since they were young.
Madame de StaelLiberty is the only idea which circulates with the human blood, in all ages, in all countries, and in all literature - liberty that is, and what cannot be separated from liberty, a love of country.
Madame de StaelTombs decked by the arts can scarcely represent death as a formidable enemy; we do not, indeed, like the ancients, carve sports and dances in the sarcophagus, but thought is diverted from the bier by works that tell of immortality, even from the altar of death.
Madame de StaelEnthusiasm gives life to what is invisible; and interest to what has no immediate action on our comfort in this world.
Madame de StaelThe people are as severe toward the clergy as toward women; they want to see absolute devotion to duty from both.
Madame de StaelWhy shouldn't man be as angry about not having always been alive as about having to stop being alive?
Madame de Staelnothing is so horrifying as the possibility of existing simply because we do not know how to die.
Madame de StaelNo nation has the right to bring about a revolution, even though such a change may be most urgently needed, if the price is the blood of one single innocent individual.
Madame de StaelWhen at eve, at the bounding of the landscape, the heavens appear to recline so slowly on the earth, imagination pictures beyond the horizon an asylum of hope, - a native land of love; and nature seems silently to repeat that man is immortal.
Madame de StaelLove, supreme power of the heart, mysterious enthusiasm that encloses in itself all poetry, all heroism, all religion!
Madame de StaelWhat matters in a character is not whether one holds this or that opinion: what matters is how proudly one upholds it.
Madame de Stael[On Russia:] In every way, there is something gigantic about this people: ordinary dimensions have no applications whatever to it. I do not mean by this that true greatness and stability are never met with; but their boldness, their imaginativeness knows no bounds. With them everything is colossal rather than well-proportioned, audacious rather than well-considered, and if they do not attain their goals, it is because they exceed them.
Madame de StaelHow true it is that, sooner or later, the' most rebellious must bow beneath the yoke of misfortune!
Madame de StaelUnhappy love freezes all our affections: our own souls grow inexplicable to us. More than we gained while we were happy we lose by the reverse.
Madame de Stael