Manon Lescaut

The heart of a father is the masterpiece of nature.

It has never been matter of wonder to me that human resolutions are liable to change; one passion gives them birth, another may destroy them.

May your criminal enjoyments vanish as a shadow! may your ill-gotten wealth leave you without a resource; and may you yourself remain alone and deserted, to learn the vanity of these things, which now divert you from better pursuits!

There is nothing more glorious—nothing that does more honour to true virtue, than the confidence with which one approaches a friend of tried integrity.

The girl arrived; I thought her handsome; and as I doubted not that you would be mortified by my absence, I did most sincerely hope that she would be able to dissipate something of your ennui: for it is the fidelity of the heart alone that I value.

Some say that Love, at sight of human ties, Spreads his light wings and in a moment flies.

Love! love!.. thou art never to be reconciled with discretion!

De la manière dont nous sommes faits, il est certain que notre félicité consiste dans le plaisir ; je défie qu'on s'en forme une autre idée ; or le cœur n'a pas besoin de se consulter longtemps pour sentir que, de tous les plaisirs, les plus doux sont ceux de l'amour.

I was horror-stricken at the contrast between the serenity of but a few moments ago and the wild stirrings of desire I could already feel within me. l was shuddering as you do when you find yourself alone at night on some desolate moorland, when all familiar bearings are lost and a panic fear comes over you that you can dispel only by calmly studying all the landmarks

I swear that you are the idol of my heart, my dear Chevalier, and there is nobody in the world I love as I love you. But don't you see, my poor darling, that loyalty is a silly virtue in the pass we are in? Do you really think we can love each other with nothing to eat? one fine day, Hunger would lead me into some fatal mistake and thinking I was sign for love, I should really be drawing my last breath

The fidelity I expect of you is that of the heart