The duration of a couple's passion is in proportion to the woman's original resistance or to the obstacles that social hazards have placed in the way of her happiness. Honore de Balzac More Quotes by Honore de Balzac More Quotes From Honore de Balzac Equality may be a right, but no power on earth can convert it into fact. Honore de Balzac equalitypowerliterature A courage which looks easy & yet is rare; the courage of a teacher repeating day after day the same lessons - the least rewarded of all forms of courage. Honore de Balzac lessonsteacherlooks The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. Honore de Balzac mothers-dayfamilymom It is as absurd to say that a man can't love one woman all the time as it is to say that a violinist needs several violins to play the same piece of music. Honore de Balzac playlovemen Many people claim coffee inspires them, but, as everybody knows, coffee only makes boring people even more boring. Honore de Balzac espressocoffeepeople All happiness depends on courage and work. I have had many periods of wretchedness, but with energy and above all with illusions, I pulled through them all. Honore de Balzac illusionperiodsenergy Genius is answerable only to itself; it is the sole judge of the means, since it alone knows the end; thus genius must consider itself as above the law, for it is the task of genius to remake the law; moreover the man who frees himself from his time and place may take everything, hazard everything, for everything is his by right. Honore de Balzac lawmenmean Woman is closer to angels than man because she knows how to mingle an infinite tenderness with the most absolute compassion. Honore de Balzac angelcompassionmen All human power is a compound of time and patience. Honore de Balzac compoundspowertime Bureaucracy is a giant mechanism operated by pygmies. Honore de Balzac libertariangiantsliberty Cruelty and fear shake hands together. Honore de Balzac feartogetherhands As a rule, only the poor are generous. Honore de Balzac generousgenerositypoor Nobody loves a woman because she is handsome or ugly, stupid or intelligent. We love because we love. Honore de Balzac falling-in-lovestupidbeauty Old maids, having never bent their temper or their lives to other lives and other tempers, as woman's destiny requires, have for the most part a mania for making everything about them bend to them. Honore de Balzac maidsbentdestiny People who are in love suspect nothing or everything. Honore de Balzac suspicionlovepeople Talent is a flame, but genius is a fire. Honore de Balzac flamesgeniusfire Women are ever the dupes or the victims of their extreme sensitiveness. Honore de Balzac dupesemotionvictim Old men are prone to invest the futures of young men with their own past sorrows. Honore de Balzac sorrowmenpast Marriage must incessantly contend with a monster that devours everything: familiarity. Honore de Balzac weddingmarriagemonsters Vice is perhaps a desire to learn everything. Honore de Balzac desire-to-learnvicesdesire