This man, who for twenty-five years has been reading and writing about art, and in all that time has never understood anything about art, has for twenty-five years been hashing over other people's ideas about realism, naturalism and all that nonsense; for twenty-five years he has been reading and writing about what intelligent people already know and about what stupid people don't want to know--which means that for twenty-five years he's been taking nothing and making nothing out of it. And with it all, what conceit! What pretension!

The illusion which exalts us is dearer to us than ten thousand truths.

It's even pleasant to be sick when you know that there are people who await your recovery as they might await a holiday.

To live simply to die is by no means amusing, but to live with the knowledge that you will die before your time, that's really is idiotic

Ah, Caviar! I keep on eating it, but can never get my fill. Like olives. It's a lucky thing it's not salty.

Reason and justice tell me there's more love for humanity in electricity and steam than in chastity and vegetarianism.

The wealthy man is not he who has money, but he who has the means to live in the luxurious state of early spring.