Having precise ideas often leads to a man doing nothing. Paul Valery More Quotes by Paul Valery More Quotes From Paul Valery Oh, hasten not this loving act, Rapture where self and not-self meet: My life has been the awaiting you, Your footfall was my own heart's beat. Paul Valery self heart love The world acquires value only through its extremes and endures only through moderation; extremists make the world great, the moderates give it stability. Paul Valery balance giving world A man who is 'of sound mind' is one who keeps the inner madman under lock and key. Paul Valery being-single being-yourself men My poems mean what people take them to mean. Paul Valery mean people One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. Paul Valery moon science fall Nothing is more natural than mutual misunderstanding; the contrary is always surprising. I believe that one never agrees on anything except by mistake, and that all harmony among human beings is the happy fruit of an error. Paul Valery errors mistake believe You have certainly observed the curious fact that a given word which is perfectly clear when you hear it or use it in everyday language, and which does not give rise to any difficulty when it is engaged in the rapid movement of an ordinary sentence becomes magically embarrassing, introduces a strange resistance, frustrates any effort at definition as soon as you take it out of circulation to examine it separately and look for its meaning after taking away its instantaneous function. Paul Valery effort everyday giving Breath, dreams, silence, invincible calm, you triumph. Paul Valery triumph silence dream What is simple is false and what is not is useless. Paul Valery honesty useless simple Order always weighs on the individual. Disorder makes him wish for the police or for death. These are two extreme circumstances in which human nature is not at ease. Paul Valery police two order Fidelity to meaning alone in translation is a kind of betrayal. Paul Valery fidelity betrayal kind We are wont to condemn self-love; but what we really mean to condemn is contrary to self-love. It is that mixture of selfishness and self-hate that permanently pursues us, that prevents us from loving others, and that prohibits us from losing ourselves. Paul Valery hate self mean One should be light like a bird, and not like a feather. Paul Valery light should bird His heart is a desert island.... The whole scope, the whole energy of his mind surround and protect him; his depths isolate him and guard him against the truth. He flatters himself that he is entirely alone there.... Patience, dear lady. Perhaps, one day, he will discover some footprint on the sand.... What holy and happy terror, what salutary fright, once he recognizes in that pure sign of grace that his island is mysteriously inhabited! Paul Valery grace islands heart At times I think and at times I am. Paul Valery time memories thinking The universe is built on a plan the profound symmetry of which is somehow present in the inner structure of our intellect. Paul Valery structure profound science If disorder is the rule with you, you will be penalized for installing order. Paul Valery human-condition disorder order History is the science of what never happens twice. Paul Valery happens To penetrate one's being, one must go armed to the teeth. Paul Valery penetrate teeth Our most important thoughts are those that contradict our emotions. Paul Valery emotion important
