Paul Valery Ideas Quotations

A man is a poet if difficulties inherent in his art provide him with ideas; he is not a poet if they deprive him of ideas.

Freedom of mind and mind itself have been most fully developed in regions where trade developed at the same time. In all ages, without exception, every intense production of art, ideas, and spiritual values has occurred in some locality where a remarkable degree of economic activity was also manifest.

A poet's work consists less in seeking words for his ideas than in seeking ideas for his words and predominant rhythms.

The mind has transformed the world, and the world is repaying it with interest. It has led man where he had no idea how to go.

The purpose of psychology is to give us a completely different idea of the things we know best.

Having precise ideas often leads to a man doing nothing.

Serious people have few ideas. People with ideas are never serious.