Honore de Balzac

Passion is universal humanity. Without it religion, history, romance and art would be useless.

To live in the presence of great truths and eternal laws, to be led by permanent ideals-that is what keeps a man patient when the world ignores him, and calm and unspoiled when the world praises him.

Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true.

It is easier to be a lover than a husband for the simple reason that it is more difficult to be witty every day than to say pretty things from time to time.

Solitude is fine, but you need someone to tell you that solitude is fine.

Cruelty and fear shake hands together.

Behind every great fortune there is a crime.

The house is turned entirely upside down when the hen crows and the cock is silent.

The more one judges, the less one loves.

Numbers are intellectual witnesses that belong only to mankind.