Play interests me very much," said Hermann: "but I am not in the position to sacrifice the necessary in the hope of winning the superfluous.

Moral maxims are surprisingly useful on occasions when we can invent little else to justify our actions.

Unrequited love is not an affront to man but raises him.

Thus people--so it seems to me-- Become good friends from sheer ennui.

Inspiration is needed in geometry, just as much as in poetry.

But even friendship like our heroes' Exist no more; for we've outgrown All sentiments and deem men zeroes-- Except of course ourselves alone. We all take on Napoleon's features, And millions of our fellow creatures Are nothing more to us than tools... Since feelings are for freaks and fools. Eugene, of course, had keen perceptions And on the whole despised mankind, Yet wasn't, like so many, blind; And since each rule permits exceptions, He did respect a noble few, And, cold himself, gave warmth its due.

Thank you, darling, for learning to play chess. It is an absolute necessity for any well organized family. (in a letter to his wife)