A man whose desire is to be something separate from himself, to be a member of Parliament, or a successful grocer, or a prominent solicitor, or a judge, or something equally tedious, invariably succeeds in being what he wants to be. That is his punishment. Those who want a mask have to wear it.
Faithfulness is to the emotional life what consistency is to the life of the intellect: simply a confession of failures.
I love scandals about other people, but scandals about myself do not interest me. The have not got the charm of novelty.
Everything must come to one out of one's own nature.
Nothing is so dangerous as being too modern; one is apt to grow old fashioned quite suddenly.
Learned conversation is either the affectation of the ignorant or the profession of the mentally unemployed.
When a woman marries again, it is because she detested her first husband. When a man marries again, it is because he adored his first wife. Women try their luck; men risk theirs.
Ideas are dangerous things. Reality is better: it hurts one, but it is worth more.
The reason we all like to think so well of others is that we are all afraid for ourselves. The basis of optimism is sheer terror.
All thoughts are immoral. Their true essence lies in destruction. Think of something and you kill it. Nothing survives if it is thought.