Most people who have been done a favor consider it an opportunity to show their incorruptibility rather than their gratitude. This is not only considerably cheaper morally, but it sometimes increases their pride so much that pretty soon they look down on their benefactor.

Martyrdom has always been a proof of the intensity, never of the correctness of a belief.

It is better to put on the brakes sooner, for some fine day you begin to understand — to pardon everything — and then where is the charm of life, if you cannot love or hate any more?

It's easy to write one's memoirs when one has a terrible memory.

I write of love and death. What other subjects are there?

To be practical in life means to take everything seriously and nothing tragically.

You never so much want to be happy with a woman as when you know that you're ceasing to care for her.