43 quotes
In morals, truth is but little prized when it is a mere sentiment, and only attains its full value when realized in the world as fact.
Vie de Jésus (The Life of Jesus) (1863)
Communism is in conflict with human nature.
It has become a hackneyed truth by now to say that the world is governed by ideas.
The Future of Science (1890)
The greatest men of a nation are often those whom it puts to death.
Vie de Jésus (The Life of Jesus) (1863)
"Endeavour to be beautiful, and then do at every moment that with which your heart will inspire you;" that is morality in a nutshell.
The Future of Science (1890)
All the great deeds of humanity have been accomplished in the name of absolute principles.
Vie de Jésus (The Life of Jesus) (1863)
La charme n'a pas à se justifier; son triomphe est la preuve de sa légitimité.
Feuilles detachées (1892)
Jamais un musulman qui sait le français ne sera un musulman dangereux.
Feuilles detachées (1892)
Le grand amour aime la solitude: il n'a pas besoin du reste du monde.
Feuilles detachées (1892)
The true Semitic society is that of the tent and of the tribe.
Histoire générale et système comparé des langues semitiques (1855)
To conceive the good, in fact, is not sufficient; it must be made to succeed among men. To accomplish this less pure paths must be followed.
Vie de Jésus (The Life of Jesus) (1863)
He whom God has touched will always be a being apart; he is, no matter what he does, out of place among men, he is known by a sign.
The Future of Science (1890)
One always retains the traces of one's origin.
L'amour est la meilleure preuve de Dieu; c'est notre lien ombilical avec la nature, notre vraie communion avec l'infini.
Feuilles detachées (1892)
Nature, on the other hand, plays a very small role in the Semitic religions: the desert is monotheistic; sublime in its immense uniformity, it primarily revealed to man the idea of 'infinite.'
Histoire générale et système comparé des langues semitiques (1855)
As a rule, all heroism is due to a lack of reflection, and thus it is necessary to maintain a mass of imbeciles. If they once understand themselves the ruling men will be lost.
Les soucis positifs de notre temps ne font que rendre la poésie plus nécessaire. Elle est, avec la religion bien comprise, le baume qui adoucit et console, la voix qui dit en nous: Sursum corda!
Feuilles detachées (1892)
The Semites did not understand the variety, the plurality, the genders in God: the word goddess in Hebrew is the most horrible barbarism.
Histoire générale et système comparé des langues semitiques (1855)
La gaieté a cela de très philosophique qu'elle semble dire à la nature que nous ne le prenons pas plus au sérieux qu'elle ne nous prend nous-mêmes.
Feuilles detachées (1892)
To be free in an age like ours, one must be in a position of authority. That in itself would be enough to make me ambitious.
Letter to his elder sister Henriette (1841)