Justice has its anger, my lord Bishop, and the wrath of justice is an element of progress. Whatever else may be said of it, the French Revolution was the greatest step forward by mankind since the coming of Christ. It was unfinished, I agree, but still it was sublime. It released the untapped springs of society; it softened hearts, appeased, tranquilized, enlightened, and set flowing through the world the tides of civilization. It was good. The French Revolution was the anointing of humanity.

As a means of contrast with the sublime, the grotesque is, in our view, the richest source that nature can offer.

Everything being a constant carnival, there is no carnival left.

Each man should frame life so that at some future hour fact and his dreaming meet.

That men saw his mask, but the bishop saw his face. That men saw his life, but the bishop saw his conscience.

Every bad institution of this world ends by suicide.

Genius: the superhuman in man.