Genius is to other gifts what the carbuncle is to the precious stones. It sends forth its own light, whereas other stones only reflect borrowed light.

With people of limited ability modesty is merely honesty. But with those who possess great talent it is hypocrisy.

A man of genius can hardly be sociable, for what dialogues could indeed be so intelligent and entertaining as his own monologues?

To become reconciled to a friend with whom you have broken, is a form of weakness; and you pay the penalty of it when he takes the first opportunity of doing precisely the very thing which brought about the breach.

Almost all of our sorrows spring out of our relations with other people.

Life without pain has no meaning.

Mostly the loss teaches us only about the value of things.