Quote #24

A man who is 'of sound mind' is one who keeps the inner madman under lock and key.

More from Paul Valery

  1. A good poet is of no more use to his country than a good petanque player.
  2. A poem is never finished; it's always an accident that puts a stop to it-that is to say, gives it to the public.
  3. A businessman is a hybrid of a dancer and a calculator.
  4. Ma main se sent touchee aussi bien qu'elle touche ; reel veut dire cela, et rien de plus.
  5. Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.
  6. Modern man no longer works at what cannot be abbreviated.
  7. Politics is the art of stopping people from minding their own business.
  8. On a toujours cherche des explications quand c'etait des representations qu'on pouvait seulement essaye d'inventer.

All Paul Valery quotes