A man of business will often deceive you without the slightest scruple, but he will absolutely refuse to commit a theft.

Truth is no harlot who throws her arms round the neck of him who does not desire her; on the contrary, she is so coy a beauty that even the man who sacrifices everything to her can still not be certain of her favors.

Thus also every keen pleasure is an error and an illusion, for no attained wish can give lasting satisfaction.

Every time a man is begotten and born, the clock of human life is wound up anew to repeat once more its same old tune that has already been played innumerable times, movement by movement and measure by measure, with insignificant variations.

Man is the only animal who causes pain to others with no other object than wanting to do so.

I owe what is best in my own development to the impression made by Kant's works, the sacred writings of the Hindus, and Plato.

And yet, just as our body would burst asunder if the pressure of the atmosphere were removed from it, so would the arrogance of men expand, if not to the point of bursting then to that of the most unbridled folly, indeed madness, if the pressure of want, toil, calamity and frustration were removed from their life. One can even say that we require at all times a certain quantity of care or sorrow or want, as a ship requires ballast, in order to keep on a straight course.