The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us. – Paul Valery
The history of thought may be summed up in these words: it is absurd by what it seeks and great by what it finds. – Paul Valery
The future, like everything else, is not what it used to be. – Paul Valery
War: a massacre of people who dont know each other for the profit of people who know each other but dont massacre each other. – Paul Valery
Im crazy about Grant: his character, his nature, his science in fighting and everything else. But I dont like the idea that he never accepted the blame for anything, always found someone else to blame for any mistake that was ever made, including blaming Prentiss for Shiloh. – Shelby Foote