[Paris] is dirty. It has pigeons and black yards. The people have white skin.

By definition, a government has no conscience. Sometimes it has a policy, but nothing more.

The laws of nature may be operative up to a certain limit, beyond which they turn against themselves to give birth to the absurd.

To feel absolutely right is the beginning of the end.

The only way out [of international dictatorship] is to place international law above governments, which means [...] that there must be a parliament for making it, and that parliament must be constituted by means of worldwide elections in which all nations will take part.

Realism should only be the means of expression of religious genius... or, at the other extreme, the artistic expressions of monkeys which are quite satisfied with mere imitation. In fact, art is never realistic though sometimes it is tempted to be. To be really realistic a description would have to be endless.

For me, physical love has always been bound to an irresistible feeling of innocence and joy. Thus, I cannot love in tears but in exaltation.