Anatole France quotes

"The sadness of churches at night moves me; I feel in them the grandeur of nothingness."

— Spoken by a character · II. "ONE CAN SEE THAT YOU ARE YOUNG!"

Whatever one may do, one is always alone in the world. That is what he wishes to say. He is right. You may always explain: you never are understood.

— Therese · V. A DINNER 'EN FAMILLE'

The door of one's room, Madame Marmet, opens on the infinite. Have you ever thought of that?

— Spoken by a character · X. DECHARTRE ARRIVES IN FLORENCE

Ah, Madame Marmet, you will never know how true it is that the great works of this world were always achieved by madmen.

— Spoken by a character · IX. CHOULETTE FINDS A NEW FRIEND

Brother Paphnutius, I am but a miserable sinner, but I have found, in my long life, that the cenobite has no foe worse than sadness.

— Spoken by a character · Part The First: THE LOTUS

There, in a livid light, the demons tormented the souls of the damned. The souls preserved the appearance of the bodies which had held them, and even wore some rags of clothing. These souls seemed peaceful in the midst of their torments.

‘Men,’ I said to myself, ‘suffer because they are deprived of that which they believe to be good; or because, possessing it they fear to lose it; or because they endure that which they believe to be an evil. Put an end to all beliefs of this kind, and the evils would disappear.’

— Spoken by a character · Part The First: THE LOTUS

If only God exists, that he may damn me. I hope for it--I wish it. God, I hate Thee--dost Thou hear? Overwhelm me with Thy damnation.

— Spoken by a character · Part The Third: THE EUPHORBIA