Quotations of Victor Hugo

Non, on ne détruit pas Paris. Parvînt-on, ce qui est malaisé, à le démolir matériellement, on le grandirait moralement. En ruinant Paris, vous le sanctifieriez. La dispersion des pierres ferait la dispersion des idées. Jetez Paris aux quatre vents, vous n’arriverez qu’à faire de chaque grain de cette cendre la semence de l’avenir. Ce sépulcre criera Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité ! Paris est ville, mais Paris est âme. No, Paris cannot be destroyed. If you physically demolished it, which in itself would be far from easy, you would only strengthen it spiritually. By ruining Paris, you would sanctify it. Each scattered stone would become an idea. Blow Paris to pieces, and each grain of dust would become a seed for the future. This tomb would shout out "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!" Paris is a city, but Paris also has a soul. Victor Hugo, Appel aux Allemands, Septembre 1870

Victor Hugo