My business is to be talented, that is, to be capable of selecting the important moments from the trivial ones. . . . It's about time for writers - particularly those who are genuine artists - to recognize that in this world you cannot figure out everything. Just have a writer who the crowds trust be courageous enough and declare that he does not understand everything, and that alone will represent a major contribution to the way people think, a long leap forward.

Happiness does not await us all. One needn't be a prophet to say that there will be more grief and pain than serenity and money. That is why we must hang on to one another.

Fine. Since the tea is not forthcoming, let's have a philosophical conversation.

Medicine is my lawful wife and literature my mistress; when I get tired of one, I spend the night with the other.

There is nothing new in art except talent.

I should think I'm going to be a perpetual student.

It is as acceptable now to love the wives of others as it is to smoke their cigars and read their books.