From their experience or from the recorded experience of others (history), men learn only what their passions and their metaphysical read more

From their experience or from the recorded experience of others (history), men learn only what their passions and their metaphysical prejudices allow them to learn.

He submits to be seen through a microscope, who suffers himself to be caught in a fit of passion.

He submits to be seen through a microscope, who suffers himself to be caught in a fit of passion.

And beauty, for confiding youth,
Those shocks of passion can prepare
That kill the bloom before its read more

And beauty, for confiding youth,
Those shocks of passion can prepare
That kill the bloom before its time,
And blanch, without the owner's crime,
The most resplendent hair.

Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.

Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.

Reason, ruling alone, is a force confining, and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction. Therefore, read more

Reason, ruling alone, is a force confining, and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction. Therefore, let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion!

The ruling passion, be it what it will,
The ruling passion conquers reason still.

The ruling passion, be it what it will,
The ruling passion conquers reason still.

The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his read more

The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.

Mortal lovers must not try to remain at the first step; for lasting passion is the dream of a harlot read more

Mortal lovers must not try to remain at the first step; for lasting passion is the dream of a harlot and from it we wake in despair.

Nevertheless the passions, whether violent or not, should never be so expressed as to reach the point of causing disgust; read more

Nevertheless the passions, whether violent or not, should never be so expressed as to reach the point of causing disgust; and music, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music.