One is happy as a result of one's own efforts, once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness — simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, se… - George Sand

One is happy once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness: simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self denial to a point, love of work, and above all, a clear conscience.

Nothing resembles selfishness more closely than self-respect

Con mi salvaje orgullo, debería haber sido una mujer superior y escoger de un vistazo, como un águila, entre todos aquellos hombres insulsos, falsos y vacuos, uno de esos seres verdaderos y nobles que son escasos y excepcionales en todos los tiempos. Era demasiado ignorante, demasiado limitada para eso. A fuerza de vivir, adquirí más juicio, me di cuenta de que algunos de entre ellos, que en mi odio había confundido, merecían otros sentimientos. Pero para entonces ya era demasiado vieja.

It is warm, I am alive, I am calm and sad, I hardly know why. In this existence so even, so tranquil, and so gentle as I have here, I am in an element that weakens me morally while strengthening me physically; and I fall into melancholies of honey and roses which are none the less melancholy. It seems to me that all those I love forget me, and that it is justice, because I live a selfish life having nothing to do for any one of them.