The common man is not concerned about the passage of time, the man of talent is driven by it.

True brevity of expression consists in a man only saying what is worth saying, while avoiding all diffuse explanations of things which every one can think out for himself.

Materialism is the philosophy of the subject who forgets to take account of himself.

Patriotism is the passion of fools and the most foolish of passions.

Style is the physiognomy of the mind. It is more infallible than that of the body. To imitate the style of another is said to be wearing a mask. However beautiful it may be, it is through its lifelessness insipid and intolerable, so that even the most ugly living face is more engaging.

For whence did Dante take the materials for his hell but from this our actual world? And yet he made a very proper hell of it.

Every miserable fool who has nothing at all of which he can be proud, adopts as a last resource pride in the nation to which he belongs; he is ready and happy to defend all its faults and follies tooth and nail, thus reimbursing himself for his own inferiority.