Quotes By Author: George Sand

“J’ai un but, une tâche, disons le mot, une passion. Le métier d’écrire en est une violente et presque indestructible.”(“I have an object, a task, let me say the word, a passion. The profession of writing is a violent and almost indestructible one.”)[Letter to Jules Boucoiran, 4 March 1831]”

“Nothing is so easy as to deceive one’s self when one does not lack wit and is familiar with all the niceties of language. Language is a prostitute queen who descends and rises to all roles. Disguises herself, arrays herself in fine apparel, hides her head and effaces herself; an advocate who has an answer for everything, who has always foreseen everything, and who assumes a thousand forms in order to be right. The most honorable of men is he who thinks best and acts best, but the most powerful is he who is best able to talk and write”

“The maid told him that a girl and a child had come looking for him, but since she didn’t know them, she hadn’t cared to ask them in, and had told them to go on to Mers.”Why didn’t you let them in?” asked Germain angrily. “People must be very suspicious in this part of the world, if they won’t open the front door to a neighbor.””Well, naturally!” replied the maid. “In a house as rich as this, you have to keep a close watch on things. While the master’s away I’m responsible for everything, and I can’t just open the door to anyone at all.””That’s a mean way to live,” said Germain; “I’d rather be poor than live in fear like that. Good-bye to you, miss, and good-bye to this horrible country of yours!”

“Le vrai est trop simple, il faut y arriver toujours par le compliqué.”(“The truth is too simple: one must always get there by a complicated route.”)[Letter to Armand Barbès, 12 May 1867]”

“God abandons only those who abandon themselves, and whoever has the courage to shut up his sorrow within his own heart is stronger to fight against it than he who complains.”