Optimism and self-pity are the positive and negative poles of modern cowardice.

An aesthetic movement with a revolutionary dynamism and no popular appeal should proceed quite otherwise than by public scandal, publicity stunt, noisy expulsion and excommunication.

Only by avoiding the beginning of things can we escape their end.

Civilization is maintained by a very few people in a small number of places and we need only some bombs and a few prisons to blot it out altogether.

Believing in Hell must distort every judgement on this life.

There is no pain equal to that which two lovers can inflict on one another. This should be made clear to all who contemplate such a union. The avoidance of this pain is the beginning of wisdom, for it is strong enough to contaminate the rest of our lives.

Like the bee its sting, the promiscuous leave behind them in each encounter something of themselves by which they are made to suffer.