Romain Rolland

“There is only one heroism in the world: to see the world as it is, and to love it.”

“A hero is a man who does what he can.”

“If a man is to be a man, he must be a non-conformist.”

“One makes mistakes; that is life. But it is never a mistake to have loved.”

“The free man is he who does not fear to go to the end of his thought.”

“Discussion is impossible with someone who claims not to seek the truth, but already to possess it.”

“No one ever reads a book. He reads himself through books, either to discover or to control himself.”

“Joy is not in things; it is in us.”

“It is the artist's business to create sunshine when the sun fails.”

“Whatever the cost, however fraught with difficulty, we must remain faithful to the ideal of the unity of mankind.”

“Art is the glorification of the human spirit.”

“Vote for the man who promises least; he'll be the least disappointing.”

“There is no joy except in creation. There is no joy in possession.”

“Let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow.”

“Great souls are like mountains. They are constantly being washed by the force of the wind, yet they remain unmoved.”

“The highest duty is to be useful, not according to theories, but according to the state of things.”

“To be alive is a joy.”