The passions are like fire, useful in a thousand ways and dangerous only in one, through their excess.

The passions are like fire, useful in a thousand ways and dangerous only in one, through their excess.

It is easier to exclude harmful passions than to rule them, and to deny them admittance than to control them read more

It is easier to exclude harmful passions than to rule them, and to deny them admittance than to control them after they have been admitted.

Search then the ruling passion; there alone,
The wild are constant, and the cunning known;
The fool read more

Search then the ruling passion; there alone,
The wild are constant, and the cunning known;
The fool consistent, and the false sincere;
Priests, princes, women, no dissemblers here.

Passion is the mob of the man, that commits a riot upon his reason.

Passion is the mob of the man, that commits a riot upon his reason.

Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.

Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.

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.

When the sword is once drawn, the passions of men observe no bounds of moderation.

When the sword is once drawn, the passions of men observe no bounds of moderation.

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!

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.