To hold power has always meant to manipulate idiots and circumstances; and those circumstances and those idiots, tossed together, bring about those coincidences to which even the greatest men confess they owe most of their fame Alfred de Vigny More Quotes by Alfred de Vigny More Quotes From Alfred de Vigny Of what use is the memory of facts, if not to serve as an example of good or of evil? Alfred de Vigny example evil memories Of what use were the arts if they were only the reproduction and the imitation of life? Alfred de Vigny imitation use art On the day when man told the story of his life to man, history was born. Alfred de Vigny born stories men Fainthearted animals move about in herds. The lion walks alone in the desert. Let the poet always walk thus. Alfred de Vigny desert animal moving Only silence is great; all else is weakness. Alfred de Vigny silence-is weakness silence History is a novel for which the people is the author. Alfred de Vigny novel history people The first among mankind will always be those who make something imperishable out of a sheet of paper, a canvas, a piece of marble, or a few sounds Alfred de Vigny paper sound firsts Greatness is the dream of youth realized in old age. Alfred de Vigny greatness age dream I love the majesty of human suffering. Alfred de Vigny human-suffering majesty suffering What is a great life? It is the dreams of youth realised in old age. Alfred de Vigny age dream life A calm despair, without angry convulsions or reproaches directed at heaven, is the essence of wisdom. Alfred de Vigny despair essence heaven Just as we descend into our consciences to judge of actions which our minds can not weigh, can we not also search in ourselves for the feeling which gives birth to forms of thought, always vague and cloudy? Alfred de Vigny judging feelings giving No writer, no matter how gifted, immortalizes himself unless he has crystallized into expressive and original phrase the eternal sentiments and yearnings of the human heart. Alfred de Vigny phrases matter heart Art ought never to be considered except in its relations with its ideal beauty. Alfred de Vigny ideals relation art Invisible is real. Souls have their own world. Alfred de Vigny real soul world Silence alone is great; all else is feebleness . . . Perform with all your heart your long and heavy task. . . . Then as do I, say naught, but suffer and die. Alfred de Vigny silence heart long Do you know that charming part of our country which has been called the garden of France - that spot where, amid verdant plains watered by wide streams, one inhales the purest air of heaven? Alfred de Vigny garden air country Perform your long and heavy task with energy, treading the path to which Fate has been pleased to call you. Alfred de Vigny fate energy long What is a great life but a youthful intention carried out in maturity? Alfred de Vigny intention maturity Poetry is the disease of the brain. Alfred de Vigny disease poetry-is brain
