Madame de Stael Character Quotations

Conscience is doubtless sufficient to conduct the coldest character into the road of virtue; but enthusiasm is to conscience what honor is to duty; there is in us a superfluity of soul, which it is sweet to consecrate to the beautiful when the good has been accomplished.

Have you not observed that faith is generally strongest in those whose character may be called the weakest?

What matters in a character is not whether one holds this or that opinion: what matters is how proudly one upholds it.

One must, so long as there is any life left, back up the character of one's life.

The thing that must be preserved in all situations whatever is the reputation of one's character.

The most careful reasoning characters are very often the most easily abashed.

The only equitable manner in my opinion, of judging the character of a man is to examine if there are personal calculations in his conduct; if there are not, we may blame his manner of judging, but we are not the less bound to esteem him.