Politics and the fate of mankind are formed by men without ideals and without greatness. Those who have greatness within them do not go in for politics.

he's incapable of suffering for a long time, or being happy for a long time. Which means that he's incapable of anything really worth while.

As soon as one does not kill oneself, one must keep silent about life.

Every man, and for stronger reasons, every artist, wants to be recognized. So do I.

We [writers] must know that we can never escape the common misery and that our only justification, if indeed there is a justification, is to speak up, insofar as we can, for those who cannot do so.

What's natural is the microbe. All the rest-heath, integrity, purity (if you like)-is a product of the human will, of a vigilance that must never falter. The good man, the man who infects hardly anyone, is the man who has the fewest lapses of attention.

In order to be created, a work of art must first make use of the dark forces of the soul