Having precise ideas often leads to a man doing nothing. — Paul Valery Doing nothing Copy Share Image
If the Ego is hateful, Love your neighbor as yourself becomes a cruel irony. — Paul Valery Ego Copy Share Image
That which has been believed by everyone, always and everywhere, has every chance of being false. — Paul Valery Copy Share Image
“Every ironist has in mind a pretentious reader, mirror of himself.” — Paul Valéry Books Copy Share Image
Great things are accomplished by those who do not feel the impotence of man. This is a precious gift. — Paul Valery Copy Share Image
“Admirable man, who know teeth by dreams, think you that all those of philosophers are decayed?” — Paul Valéry Copy Share Image
Every man expects some miracle — either from his mind or from his body or from someone else or from events. — Paul Valery Body Copy Share Image
One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. — Paul Valery Copy Share Image
“But Socrates cannot but have been meditating upon something?... Can he ever remain solitary with himself -- and silent to his very… — Paul Valéry Copy Share Image
“O Socrates, the universe cannot for one instant endure to be only what it is. It is strange to think that that… — Paul Valéry Copy Share Image
Nothing is more natural than mutual misunderstanding; the contrary is always surprising. I believe that one never agrees on anything except by… — Paul Valery Copy Share Image
“By giving the name of progress to its own tendency to a fatal precision, the world is seeking to add to the… — Paul Valéry Death Copy Share Image
What Degas called 'a way of seeing' must consequently bear a wide enough interpretation to include way of being, power, knowledge, and… — Paul Valery Artist Copy Share Image
History is the most dangerous product evolved from the chemistry of the intellect. ...History will justify anything. It teaches precisely nothing, for… — Paul Valery Chemistry Copy Share Image
In the physical world, one cannot increase the size or quantity of anything without changing its quality. Similar figures exist only in… — Paul Valery Copy Share Image
Thanks to photography, the eye grew accustomed to anticipate what it should see and to see it; and it learned not to… — Paul Valery Copy Share Image
In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but… — Paul Valery Copy Share Image
“I am not averse to generalizing the notion of "modern" to designate a certain way of life, rather than making it purely… — Paul Valéry Copy Share Image
The commerce of minds was necessarily the first commerce in the world, ... since before bartering things one must barter signs, and… — Paul Valery Bartering Copy Share Image
A really free mind is scarcely attached to its opinions. If the mind cannot help giving birth to ... emotions and affections… — Paul Valery Affection Copy Share Image
“What a pity to see a mind as great as Napoleon's devoted to trivial things such as empires, historic events, the thundering… — Paul Valéry Napoleon Copy Share Image
Latent in every man is a venom of amazing bitterness, a black resentment; something that curses and loathes life, a feeling of… — Paul Valery Anger Copy Share Image
You have certainly observed the curious fact that a given word which is perfectly clear when you hear it or use it… — Paul Valery Copy Share Image
“There are pigeonholes in the brain with labels on them such as: To be looked into when I feel like it; Never… — Paul Valéry Happiness Copy Share Image
