The policy of man consists, at first, in endeavoring to arrive at a state equal to that of animals, whom nature has furnished with food, clothing, and shelter.

The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbours, kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all.

The mirror is a worthless invention. The only way to truly see yourself is in the reflection of someone else's eyes.

A little evil is often necessary for obtaining a great good.

He was my equal in beauty, a paragon of grace and charm, sparkling with wit, and burning with love. I adored him to distraction, to the point of idolatry: I loved him as one can never love twice.

All the arts are brothers; each one is a light to the others.

It is not sufficient to see and to know the beauty of a work. We must feel and be affected by it.