George Sand Quotes

La vie est une longue blessure qui s'endort rarement et ne se guérit jamais.

The artist vocation is to send light into the human heart.

but he was in love and nothing more. He had made her acquaintance because he had nothing else to do, perhaps, and success had kindled his desires; he had obtained more than he asked, and on the day that he triumphed over that easily vanquished heart he returned home dismayed by his victory, and said to himself, striking his forehead: “God grant that she doesn’t love me!” Thus it was not until after he had accepted all the proofs of her love that he began to suspect the existence of that love. Then he repented, but it was too late; he must either resign himself to what the future might have in store, or retreat like a coward toward the past. Raymon did not hesitate; he allowed himself to be loved, he loved in return for gratitude; he scaled the walls of the Delmare estate from the love of danger; he had a terrible fall from awkwardness; and he was so touched by his lovely mistress’s grief that he deemed himself justified thenceforth in his own eyes in continuing to dig the pit into which she was destined to fall.

Whoever has loved knows all that life contains of sorrow and joy.

La vie ressemble plus souvent à un roman qu'un roman ne ressemble à la vie.

ты не видишь, как движется государственная машина, а если бы ты видела, то удивилась бы, как могут государственные люди быть чем-либо иным, кроме старых сплетниц.

Avez-vous remarqué, Sténio, qu'il y a des heures où nous sommes forcés d'aimer, des heures où la poésie nous inonde, où notre cœur bat plus vite, où notre âme s'élance hors de nous et brise tous les liens de la volonté poud aller chercher une autre âme où se répandre ? Combien de fois, à l'entrée de la nuit, au lever de la lune, aux premières clartés du jour, combien de fois, dans le silence de minuit et dans cet autre silence de midi si accablant, si inquiet, si dévorant, n'ai-je pas senti mon cœur se précipiter vers un but inconnu, vers un bonheur sans forme et sans nom, qui est au ciel, qui est dans l'air, qui est partout, comme un aimant invisible, comme l'amour !

If you do not cease loving me, you will see me, you will feel me, you will hear me everywhere. My form will be before your eyes because it will remain engraved on your mind; my voice will echo in your ear because it will remain in your heart’s memory: my spirit will again reveal itself to your spirit because your soul understands me and knows me completely.

My mother declared that I was so sensible that they were not called upon to treat me like a child. The poor woman did not realize that she herself was much more of a child than I.

La nature est une oeuvre d'art, mais Dieu est le seul artiste qui existe, et l'homme n'est qu'un arrangeur de mauvais goût. La nature est belle, le sentiment s'exhale de tous ses pores; l'amour, la jeunesse, la beauté y sont impérissables. Mais l'homme n'a pour les sentir et les exprimer que des moyens absurdes et des facultés misérables. Il vaudrait mieux qu'il ne s'en mêlat pas, qu'il fût muet et se renfermât dans la contemplation.

Quoique paysan et simple laboureur, Germain s'était rendu compte de ses devoirs et de ses affections.

L'art est une démonstration dont la nature est la preuve.

Happiness, so they say, makes one selfish... Alas! this happiness that is in store for some to the detriment of others must make one so, indeed. O my God! Shared happiness, that which one would find by working for the happiness of one's fellow men, would make man as great as his destiny on earth, as good as yourself!

You can bind my body, tie my hands, govern my actions: you are the strongest, and society adds to your power; but with my will, sir, you can do nothing.

Oh, woman, woman! (...) Thou art a mystery, an abyss, and he who thinks to know thee is totally mad.