8 quotes
An energetic man will succeed where an indolent one would vegetate and inevitably perish.
The Mysterious Island (1874)
Civilization never recedes; the law of necessity ever forces it onwards.
The Mysterious Island (1874)
"Better to put things at the worst at first," replied the engineer, "and reserve the best for a surprise."
The Mysterious Island (1874)
He who is mistaken in an action which he sincerely believes to be right may be an enemy, but retains our esteem.
The Mysterious Island (1874)
It is a great misfortune to be alone, my friends; and it must be believed that solitude can quickly destroy reason.
The Mysterious Island (1874)
Before all masters, necessity is the one most listened to, and who teaches the best.
The Mysterious Island (1874)
Man is never perfect, nor contented.
The Mysterious Island (1874)
So is man's heart. The desire to perform a work which will endure, which will survive him, is the origin of his superiority over all other living creatures here below. It is this which has established his dominion, and this it is which justifies it, over all the world.
The Mysterious Island (1874)