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86 Inspirational Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Life (LOVE)

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Top 18 Most Inspiring Honoré de Balzac Quotes (BEST)

“To live in the presence of great truths and eternal laws, to be led by permanent ideals – that is what keeps a man patient when the world ignores him, and calm and unspoiled when the world praises him.”

Honoré de Balzac
The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.
The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.
A person's life is a canvas on which they paint their own destiny.
A person’s life is a canvas on which they paint their own destiny.
Our worst misfortunes never happen, and most miseries lie in anticipation.
Our worst misfortunes never happen, and most miseries lie in anticipation.
When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.
When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.
Passion is universal humanity. Without it, religion, history, romance, and art would be useless.
Passion is universal humanity. Without it, religion, history, romance, and art would be useless.
The most virtuous women have something within them, something that is never chaste.
The most virtuous women have something within them, something that is never chaste.
How natural it is to destroy what we cannot possess, to deny what we do not understand, and to insult what we envy!
How natural it is to destroy what we cannot possess, to deny what we do not understand, and to insult what we envy!
The more one judges, the less one loves.
The more one judges, the less one loves.
There are two histories: official history, lying, and then secret history, where you find the real causes of events.
There are two histories: official history, lying, and then secret history, where you find the real causes of events.
It is easy to sit up and take notice, what is difficult is getting up and taking action.
It is easy to sit up and take notice, what is difficult is getting up and taking action.
Do you know what is the hardest thing in life To make a choice.
Do you know what is the hardest thing in life? To make a choice.
Every moment of happiness requires a great amount of ignorance.
Every moment of happiness requires a great amount of ignorance.
Memories beautify life, but the capacity to forget makes it bearable.
Memories beautify life, but the capacity to forget makes it bearable.
Equality may be a right, but no power on earth can convert it into fact.
Equality may be a right, but no power on earth can convert it into fact.
The victory always has a lot of parents but the defeat is always an orphan.
The victory always has a lot of parents but the defeat is always an orphan.
A writer is a creature of solitude, exploring the depths of the human soul and giving voice to its mysteries.
A writer is a creature of solitude, exploring the depths of the human soul and giving voice to its mysteries.
Solitude is fine but you need someone to tell that solitude is fine.
Solitude is fine but you need someone to tell that solitude is fine.
The devil's greatest achievement is convincing the world that he doesn't exist.
The devil’s greatest achievement is convincing the world that he doesn’t exist.

5 Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Women

When women love us, they forgive us everything, even our crimes; when they do not love us, they give us credit for nothing, not even our virtues.
When women love us, they forgive us everything, even our crimes; when they do not love us, they give us credit for nothing, not even our virtues.
Women are happy to possess a man whom all women covet.
Women are happy to possess a man whom all women covet.
The press is like a woman sublime when it lies, it will not let go until it has forced you to believe it. The public, like a foolish husband, always succumbs.
The press is like a woman: sublime when it lies, it will not let go until it has forced you to believe it. The public, like a foolish husband, always succumbs.
There are some women whose pregnancy would make some sly bachelor smile.
There are some women whose pregnancy would make some sly bachelor smile.
A woman knows the face of the man she loves as a sailor knows the open sea.
A woman knows the face of the man she loves as a sailor knows the open sea.

4 Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Mothers

A mother's happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories.
A mother’s happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories.
The art of motherhood involves much silent, unobtrusive self-denial, an hourly devotion which finds no detail too minute.
The art of motherhood involves much silent, unobtrusive self-denial, an hourly devotion which finds no detail too minute.
A mother who is really a mother is never free.
A mother who is really a mother is never free.

5 Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Husbands

It is easier to be a lover than a husband for the simple reason that it is more difficult to be witty every day than to say pretty things from time to time.
It is easier to be a lover than a husband for the simple reason that it is more difficult to be witty every day than to say pretty things from time to time.
A good husband is never the first to go to sleep at night or the last to awake in the morning.
A good husband is never the first to go to sleep at night or the last to awake in the morning.
The majority of husbands remind me of an orangutan trying to play the violin.
The majority of husbands remind me of an orangutan trying to play the violin.
The man as he converses is the lover; silent, he is the husband.
The man as he converses is the lover; silent, he is the husband.
A lover always thinks of his mistress first and himself second; with a husband it runs the other way.
A lover always thinks of his mistress first and himself second; with a husband it runs the other way.

10 Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Love

Love has its own instinct, finding the way to the heart, as the feeblest insect finds the way to its flower, with a will which nothing can dismay nor turn aside.
Love has its own instinct, finding the way to the heart, as the feeblest insect finds the way to its flower, with a will which nothing can dismay nor turn aside.
True love is eternal, infinite, and always like itself. It is equal and pure.
True love is eternal, infinite, and always like itself. It is equal and pure.
First love is a kind of vaccination which saves a man from catching the complaint the second time.
First love is a kind of vaccination which saves a man from catching the complaint the second time.
The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one.
The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one.
Nobody loves a woman because she is handsome or ugly, stupid or intelligent. We love because we love.
Nobody loves a woman because she is handsome or ugly, stupid or intelligent. We love because we love.
Love is the poetry of the senses.
Love is the poetry of the senses.
Love may be or it may not, but where it is, it ought to reveal itself in its immensity.
Love may be or it may not, but where it is, it ought to reveal itself in its immensity.
Great love affairs start with champagne and end with tisane.
Great love affairs start with champagne and end with tisane.
It is as absurd to say that a man can't love one woman all the time as it is to say that a violinist needs several violins to play the same piece of music.
It is as absurd to say that a man can’t love one woman all the time as it is to say that a violinist needs several violins to play the same piece of music.
Love is a game in which one always cheats.
Love is a game in which one always cheats.

4 Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Passion

For passion, be it observed, brings insight with it; it can give a sort of intelligence to simpletons, fools, and idiots, especially during youth.
For passion, be it observed, brings insight with it; it can give a sort of intelligence to simpletons, fools, and idiots, especially during youth.
Passion is universal humanity. Without it religion, history, romance and art would be useless.
Passion is universal humanity. Without it religion, history, romance and art would be useless.
All humanity is passion; without passion, religion, history, novels, art would be ineffectual.
All humanity is passion; without passion, religion, history, novels, art would be ineffectual.
The duration of passion is proportionate with the original resistance of the woman.
The duration of passion is proportionate with the original resistance of the woman.

4 Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Fortune

The life of a man who deliberately runs through his fortune often becomes a business speculation; his friends, his pleasures, patrons, and acquaintances are his capital.
The life of a man who deliberately runs through his fortune often becomes a business speculation; his friends, his pleasures, patrons, and acquaintances are his capital.
Behind every great fortune lies a great crime.
Behind every great fortune lies a great crime.
We exaggerate misfortune and happiness alike. We are never as bad off or as happy as we say we are.
We exaggerate misfortune and happiness alike. We are never as bad off or as happy as we say we are.
The secret of great fortunes without apparent cause is a crime forgotten, for it was properly done.
The secret of great fortunes without apparent cause is a crime forgotten, for it was properly done.

2 Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Vocations

An unfulfilled vocation drains the color from a man's entire existence.
An unfulfilled vocation drains the color from a man’s entire existence.
Vocations which we wanted to pursue, but didn't, bleed, like colors, on the whole of our existence.
Vocations which we wanted to pursue, but didn’t, bleed, like colors, on the whole of our existence.

2 Honoré de Balzac Quotes on Nature

Nature makes only dumb animals. We owe the fools to society.
Nature makes only dumb animals. We owe the fools to society.
What is art Nature concentrated.
What is art? Nature concentrated.

31 Honoré de Balzac Quotes that Will Make You Think

Can you find a man who loves the occupation that provides him with a livelihood Professions are like marriages; we end by feeling only their inconveniences.
Can you find a man who loves the occupation that provides him with a livelihood? Professions are like marriages; we end by feeling only their inconveniences.
Life cannot go on without much forgetting.
Life cannot go on without much forgetting.
It is a singular fact that most men of action incline to the theory of fatalism, while the greater part of men of thought believe in providence.
It is a singular fact that most men of action incline to the theory of fatalism, while the greater part of men of thought believe in providence.
Solitude is fine, but you need someone to tell you that solitude is fine.
Solitude is fine, but you need someone to tell you that solitude is fine.
It is the mark of a great man that he puts to flight all ordinary calculations. He is at once sublime and touching, childlike and of the race of giants.
It is the mark of a great man that he puts to flight all ordinary calculations. He is at once sublime and touching, childlike and of the race of giants.
Hatred is the vice of narrow souls; they feed it with all their littleness, and make it the pretext of base tyrannies.
Hatred is the vice of narrow souls; they feed it with all their littleness, and make it the pretext of base tyrannies.
The good we do to others is spoilt unless we efface ourselves so completely that those we help have no sense of inferiority.
The good we do to others is spoilt unless we efface ourselves so completely that those we help have no sense of inferiority.
The smallest flower is a thought, a life answering to some feature of the Great Whole, of whom they have a persistent intuition.
The smallest flower is a thought, a life answering to some feature of the Great Whole, of whom they have a persistent intuition.
Courtesy is only a thin veneer on the general selfishness.
Courtesy is only a thin veneer on the general selfishness.
When Religion and Royalty are swept away, the people will attack the great, and after the great, they will fall upon the rich.
When Religion and Royalty are swept away, the people will attack the great, and after the great, they will fall upon the rich.
A young bride is like a plucked flower; but a guilty wife is like a flower that had been walked over.
A young bride is like a plucked flower; but a guilty wife is like a flower that had been walked over.
Power is action; the electoral principle is discussion. No political action is possible when discussion is permanently established.
Power is action; the electoral principle is discussion. No political action is possible when discussion is permanently established.
All happiness depends on courage and work.
All happiness depends on courage and work.
Unintelligent persons are like weeds that thrive in good ground; they love to be amused in proportion to the degree in which they weary themselves.
Unintelligent persons are like weeds that thrive in good ground; they love to be amused in proportion to the degree in which they weary themselves.
The habits of life form the soul, and the soul forms the countenance.
The habits of life form the soul, and the soul forms the countenance.
Nothing is a greater impediment to being on good terms with others than being ill at ease with yourself.
Nothing is a greater impediment to being on good terms with others than being ill at ease with yourself.
In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls.
In diving to the bottom of pleasure we bring up more gravel than pearls.
I do not regard a broker as a member of the human race.
I do not regard a broker as a member of the human race.
There is something great and terrible about suicide.
There is something great and terrible about suicide.
Excess of joy is harder to bear than any amount of sorrow.
Excess of joy is harder to bear than any amount of sorrow.
Nothing so fortifies a friendship as a belief on the part of one friend that he is superior to the other.
Nothing so fortifies a friendship as a belief on the part of one friend that he is superior to the other.
A flow of words is a sure sign of duplicity.
A flow of words is a sure sign of duplicity.
Death unites as well as separates; it silences all paltry feeling.
Death unites as well as separates; it silences all paltry feeling.
Clouds symbolize the veils that shroud God.
Clouds symbolize the veils that shroud God.
To those who have exhausted politics, nothing remains but abstract thought.
To those who have exhausted politics, nothing remains but abstract thought.
Reading brings us unknown friends.
Reading brings us unknown friends.
Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true.
Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true.
No man should marry until he has studied anatomy and dissected at least one woman.
No man should marry until he has studied anatomy and dissected at least one woman.
Conscience is our unerring judge until we finally stifle it.
Conscience is our unerring judge until we finally stifle it.
There is no such thing as a great talent without great will power.
There is no such thing as a great talent without great will power.
Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.
Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught.

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Inspirational Honoré de Balzac Quotes (LOVE) - Gracious Quotes