Nations, like families, have great men only in spite of themselves. They do everything in their power not to have any. And therefore, the great man, in order to exist, must possess a force of attack which is greater than the force of resistance developed by millions of people.

Strangeness is an ingredient necessary in beauty.

Here comes the time when, vibrating on its stem, every flower fumes like a censer; noises and perfumes circle in the evening air.

Love is the natural occupation of the man of leisure.

A frenzied passion for art is a canker that devours everything else.

The immense profundity of thought in vulgar locutions, like holes dug by generations of ants.

The Devil pulls the strings which make us dance; We find delight in the most loathsome things; Some furtherance of Hell each new day brings, And yet we feel no horror in that rank advance.