To a man whose mind is free there is something even more intolerable in the sufferings of animals than in the sufferings of man. For with the latter it is at least admitted that suffering is evil and that the man who causes it is a criminal. But thousands of animals are uselessly butchered every day without a shadow of remorse. If any man were to refer to it, he would be thought ridiculous. And that is the unpardonable crime.

Take possession of the air, submit the elements, penetrate the last redoubts of nature, make space retreat, make death retreat.

It is the artist's business to create sunshine when the sun fails.

There is only one heroism in the world: to see the world as it is, and to love it.

If a man is to shed the light of the sun upon other men, he must first of all have it within himself.

Every race, every art has its hypocrisy. The world is fed with a little truth and many lies.

You are a vain fellow. You want to be a hero. That is why you do such silly things. A hero!... I don't quite know what that is: but, you see, I imagine that a hero is a man who does what he can. The others do not do it.