This religion takes away the courage of thinking of unusual things and prohibits self-examination above all as the most egregiousof sins.... It is one step away from protestantism.

I think being condemned to death is the only real distinction," said Mathilde. "It is the only thing which cannot be bought.

It is from cowardice and not from want of enlightenment that we do not read in our own hearts.

Every great action is extreme when it is undertaken. Only after it has been accomplished does it seem possible to those creatures of more common stuff.

Prudery is a kind of avarice, the worst of all.

War was then no longer this noble and unified outburst of souls in love with glory that he had imagined from Napoleon's proclamations.

Every true passion thinks only of itself.