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Maurice Maeterlinck

Maurice Maeterlinck Quotes

Playwright

Maurice Maeterlinck, born on August 29, 1862, and died on May 6, 1949, was a renowned Belgian playwright, poet, and essayist. He is best known for his symbolism and symbolic drama, which deeply explored themes such as life, death, religion, and the universe. Maeterlinck's works have had a profound impact on 20th-century literature.

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All Soul Love Men Life Silence Death Happiness Goodness Hours Knows

Famous Maurice Maeterlinck Quotes

“No living creature, not even man, has achieved, in the centre of his sphere, what the bee has achieved in her own: and were some one from another world to descend and ask of the earth the most perfect creation of the logic of life, we should needs have to offer the humble comb of honey.”

Men World Needs Should Earth Asks Perfect Creation Offers Creatures Logic Humble Honey Spheres Bees Centre Another World Living Creatures Combs

Book:The Life of the Bee: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: The Life of the Bee: Works of Maeterlinck

“And on this earth of ours there are but few souls that can withstand the dominion of the soul that has suffered itself to become beautiful.”

Soul Earth Beautiful Dominion

Book:The Treasure of the Humble: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: The Treasure of the Humble: Works of Maeterlinck

“Nothing in the whole world is so athirst for beauty as the soul, nor is there anything to which beauty clings so readily.”

World Soul Whole Whole World

Book:The Treasure of the Humble: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: The Treasure of the Humble: Works of Maeterlinck

“No great inner event befalls those who summon it not”

Book:Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

“There is no soul that does not respond to love, for the soul of man is a guest that has gone hungry these centuries back.”

Men Love Doe Soul Gone Century Hungry Guests

Book:The Inner Beauty

Source: The Inner Beauty

“You do well to have visions of a better life than of every day, but it is the life of every day from which the elements of a better life must come.”

Wells Vision Elements Better Life

Author:Maurice Maeterlinck

“It is only in the space that our thoughts and our feelings enclose that our happiness can breathe in freedom.”

Feelings Happiness Freedom Space Breathe Breathing Our Thoughts

Book:Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

“Every year, in November, at the season that follows the hour of the dead, the crowning and majestic hours of autumn, I go to visit the chrysanthemums ... They are indeed, the most universal, the most diverse of flowers.”

Years Hours Flower Seasons Universal Autumn Diverse November Majestic Chrysanthemums

Book:Hours of Gladness

Source: Hours of Gladness

“The dog is the only living being that has found and recognizes an indubitable, tangible and definite god. He knows to whom above him to give himself. He has not to seek for a superior and infinite power.”

Knows Giving Found Friendship Dog Infinite Superiors Definite Tangible Infinite Power

Book:The Double Garden: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: The Double Garden: Works of Maeterlinck

“The thoughts you think will irradiate you as though you are a transparent vase.”

Thinking Motivational Transparent Vases

Author:Maurice Maeterlinck

“I have never for one instant seen clearly within myself. How then would you have me judge the deeds of others?”

Judging Judgment Deeds Instant Miscellaneous

Book:A MIRACLE OF SAINT ANTONY AND FIVE OTHER PLAYS

Source: A MIRACLE OF SAINT ANTONY AND FIVE OTHER PLAYS

“Above all, let us never forget that an act of goodness is in itself an act of happiness. It is the flower of a long inner life of joy and contentment; it tells of peaceful hours and days on the sunniest heights of our soul.”

Long Soul Joy Hours Forget Flower Goodness Peaceful Height Contentment Never Forget Inner Life

Book:Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

“It is death that is the guide of our life, and our life has no goal but death.”

Death Goal Our Lives Guides

Book:The Treasure of the Humble: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: The Treasure of the Humble: Works of Maeterlinck

“Justice is the very last thing of all wherewith the universe concerns itself. It is equilibrium that absorbs its attention.”

Lasts Universe Justice Attention Concern Equilibrium

Book:Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

“To have known how to change the past into a few saddened smiles-is this not to master the future?”

Past Known Masters Psychoanalysis Saddened

Book:The Treasure of the Humble: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: The Treasure of the Humble: Works of Maeterlinck

“Sacrifice may be a flower that virtue will pluck on its road, but it was not to gather this flower that virtue set forth on its travels.”

May Virtue Sacrifice Flower Pluck

Book:Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

“Most creatures have a vague belief that a very precarious hazard, a kind of transparent membrane, divides death from love; and that the profound idea of nature demands that the giver of life should die at the moment of giving.”

Giving Should Kind Ideas Moments Dies Belief Sex Demand Creatures Profound Divides Vague Transparent Giver Hazards Precarious Membranes

Book:The Life of the Bee: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: The Life of the Bee: Works of Maeterlinck

“To be good we must needs have suffered; but perhaps it is necessary to have caused suffering before we can become better.”

Needs Suffering Be Good

Book:Works: The treasure of the humble, tr. by A. Sutro

Source: Works: The treasure of the humble, tr. by A. Sutro

“It is far more important that one's life should be perceived than that it should be transformed; for no sooner has it been perceived, than it transforms itself of its own accord.”

Should Important Transformed Accord

Author:Maurice Maeterlinck

“Wisdom requires no form; her beauty must vary, as varies the beauty of flame. She is no motionless goddess, for ever couched on her throne.”

Wisdom Form Flames Goddess Thrones Vary Her Beauty

Book:Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

“Happiness is rarely absent; it is we that know not of its presence.”

Book:Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

“We should tell ourselves once and for all that it is the first duty of the soul to become as happy, complete, independent, and great as lies in its power. To this end we may sacrifice even the passion for sacrifice, for sacrifice never should be the means of ennoblement, but only the sign of being ennobled.”

Should Firsts May Mean Soul Ends Happiness Lying Passion Sacrifice Duty Independent

Book:Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

Source: Wisdom and Destiny: Works of Maeterlinck

About the Author

Born: August 29, 1862
Died: May 6, 1949
Known for: Playwright
Quotes: 122

Related Topics

Soul Love Men Life Silence Death Happiness Goodness Hours Knows

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

The Treasure of the HumbleRelated source material

Wisdom and Destiny: Works of MaeterlinckRelated source material

Wisdom and DestinyRelated source material

The Treasure of the Humble: Works of MaeterlinckRelated source material

The Double Garden: Works of MaeterlinckRelated source material

Our EternityRelated source material

The Inner BeautyRelated source material

The Life of the Bee: Works of MaeterlinckRelated source material

The Measure of the HoursRelated source material

A MIRACLE OF SAINT ANTONY AND FIVE OTHER PLAYSRelated source material

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