The first virtue of all really great men is that they are sincere. They eradicate hypocrisy from their hearts.

It is almost impossible systematically to constitute a natural moral law. Nature has no principles. She furnishes us with no reason to believe that human life is to be respected. Nature, in her indifference, makes no distinction between good and evil.

Word-carpentry is like any other kind of carpentry: you must join your sentences smoothly.

War will disappear only when men shall take no part whatever in violence and shall be ready to suffer every persecution that their abstention will bring them. It is the only way to abolish war.

The good critic is he who relates the adventures of his soul among masterpieces.

Good angels are fallible ... they sin every day and fall from Heaven like flies.

The truth is that life is delicious, horrible, charming, frightful, sweet, bitter, and that is everything.