There is no such thing as a good influence. Because to influence a person is to give him one's own soul. He does not think his natural thoughts, or burn with his natural passions. His virtures are not real to him. His sins, if there are such thing as sins, are borrowed. He becomes an echo of someone else's music, an actor of a part that has not been written for him.
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If the nose of Cleopatra had been shorter, the whole face of the
earth would have been changed.
If the nose of Cleopatra had been shorter, the whole face of the
earth would have been changed.
No star ever rose or set without influence somewhere.
No star ever rose or set without influence somewhere.
Ah, who could have ever foretold that that little retrousse nose
would change the laws of an empire.
read more
Ah, who could have ever foretold that that little retrousse nose
would change the laws of an empire.
[Fr., Ah, qui jamais autoir pu dire
Que ce petit nez retrousse
Changerait les lois d'un empire.]
God in making man intended by him to reduce all His Works back
again to Himself.
God in making man intended by him to reduce all His Works back
again to Himself.
If it were in my power, I would be wiser; but a newly felt power
carries me off in read more
If it were in my power, I would be wiser; but a newly felt power
carries me off in spite of myself; love leads me one way, my
understanding another.
[Lat., Si possem sanior essem.
Sed trahit invitam nova vis; aliudque Cupido,
Mens aliud.]
He who influences the thoughts of his times, influences all the times that follow. He has made his impress on read more
He who influences the thoughts of his times, influences all the times that follow. He has made his impress on eternity.
Lay ye down the golden chain
From Heaven, and pull at its inferior links
Both Goddesses and read more
Lay ye down the golden chain
From Heaven, and pull at its inferior links
Both Goddesses and Gods.
By the golden chain Homer meant nothing else than the sun.
By the golden chain Homer meant nothing else than the sun.
The strongest influences in my life and my work are always whomever I love. Whomever I love and am with read more
The strongest influences in my life and my work are always whomever I love. Whomever I love and am with most of the time, or whomever I remember most vividly. I think that's true of everyone, don't you?
