The history of thought may be summed up in these words: it is absurd by what it seeks and great by what it finds
Paul Valery
The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us
Paul Valery
The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us.
Paul Valery
Politics is the art of preventing people from sticking their noses in things that are properly their business.
Paul Valery
Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.
Paul Valery
Our judgments judge us, and nothing reveals us, exposes our weaknesses, more ingeniously than the attitude of pronouncing upon our fellows
Paul Valery