the last steps of life are ever slow and difficult. Madame de Stael More Quotes by Madame de Stael More Quotes From Madame de Stael The life of famous men was more glorious in antiquity; the life of obscure men is happier with the moderns. Madame de Stael obscure eras men To live beneath sorrow, one must yield to it. Madame de Stael yield sadness sorrow Good taste cannot supply the place of genius in literature, for the best proof of taste, when there is no genius, would be, not to write at all. Madame de Stael genius would-be writing O memory, thou bitter sweet,--both a joy and a scourge! Madame de Stael joy sweet memories In women's destiny everything goes downhill except for thought, whose immortal nature it is to keep constantly rising. Madame de Stael immortal rising destiny There is no reality on this earth except religion and the power of love; all the rest is even more fugitive than life itself. Madame de Stael power-of-love earth reality Ought not every woman, like every man, to follow the bent of her own talents? Madame de Stael feminism talent men [Ridicule] laughs at all those who see the earnestness of life and who still believe in true feelings and in serious thought ... It soils the hope of youth. Only shameless vice is above its reach. Madame de Stael feelings laughing believe The sense of this word among the Greeks affords the noblest definition of it; enthusiasm signifies 'God in us.' Madame de Stael definitions greek enthusiasm Love is the symbol of eternity. Madame de Stael eternity love-is love Wit lies in recognizing the resemblance among things which differ and the difference between things which are alike. Madame de Stael resemblance-is differences lying Venice astonishes more than it pleases at first sight. Madame de Stael venice sight firsts Never, never have I been loved as I love others! Madame de Stael I desire no other proof of Christianity than the Lord's Prayer. Madame de Stael christianity prayer desire Prayer is more than meditation. In meditation the source of strength is one's self. When one prays he goes to a source of strength greater than his own. Madame de Stael meditation self prayer A voyage without companionship, that is to say without conversation, is one of the saddest pleasures of life. Madame de Stael companionship voyages pleasure The mind's pleasures are made to calm the tempests of the heart. Madame de Stael calm mind heart It is obvious that the most despotic forms of social organization would be suitable for inert men who are satisfied with the situation fate has placed them in, and that the most abstract form of democratic theory would be practicable among sages guided only by their reason. The only problem is to what degree it is possible to excite or to contain the passions without endangering public happiness. Madame de Stael women fate passion [Moralistic] novels are at the same disadvantage as teachers: children never believe them, because they make everything that happens relate to the lesson at hand. Madame de Stael teacher believe children [On Napoleon:] One has the impression of an imperious wind blowing about one's ears when one is near that man. Madame de Stael wind-blowing ears men
