Life ought to be a struggle of desire toward adventures whose nobility will fertilize the soul.

Life ought to be a struggle of desire toward adventures whose nobility will fertilize the soul.

Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always from the noblest motives.

Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always from the noblest motives.

There are obligations to nobility.
[Lat., Noblesse oblige.]

There are obligations to nobility.
[Lat., Noblesse oblige.]

A noble person attracts noble people, and knows how to hold on to them.

A noble person attracts noble people, and knows how to hold on to them.

His nature is too noble for the world.
He would not flatter Neptune for his trident,
Or read more

His nature is too noble for the world.
He would not flatter Neptune for his trident,
Or Jove for's power to thunder.

Respect the man of noble races other than your own, who carries out, in a different place, a combat parallel read more

Respect the man of noble races other than your own, who carries out, in a different place, a combat parallel to yours -- to ours. He is your ally. He is our ally, be he at the other end of the world. Love all living things whose humble task is not opposed in any way to yours, to ours: men with simple hearts, honest, without vanity and malice, and all the animals, because they are beautiful, without exception and without exception indifferent to whatever "idea" there may be. Love them, and you will see the eternal in the glance of their eyes of jet, amber, or emerald. Love also the trees, the plants, the water that runs though the meadow and on to the sea without knowing where it goes; love the mountain, the desert, the forest, the immense sky, full of light or full of clouds; because all these exceed man and reveal the eternal to you.

I was no Marie Antoinette. I was not born to nobility, but I had a human right to nobility.

I was no Marie Antoinette. I was not born to nobility, but I had a human right to nobility.

A noble soul alone can noble souls attract;
And knows alone, as ye, to hold them.
[Ger., read more

A noble soul alone can noble souls attract;
And knows alone, as ye, to hold them.
[Ger., Ein edler Mensch zieht edle Menschen an,
Und weiss sie fest zu halten, wie ihr thut.]

Fond man! though all the heroes of your line
Bedeck your halls, and round your galleries shine
read more

Fond man! though all the heroes of your line
Bedeck your halls, and round your galleries shine
In proud display; yet take this truth from me--
Virtue alone is true nobility!