Only the impossible lasts forever.

A man is whole only when he takes into account his shadow.

None of us suffers as much as we should, or loves as much as we say. Love is the first lie; wisdom the last.

You beat the liver out of a goose to get a pâté; you pound the muscles of a man's cardia to get a philosopher.

For most people, life is nasty, brutish, and short; for me, it has simply been nasty and brutish.

Destiny and history are untidy.

Matthew,' she said, 'have you ever loved someone and it became yourself?' For a moment he did not answer. Taking up the decanter he held it to the light. 'Robin can go anywhere, do anything,' Nora continued, 'because she forgets, and I nowhere because I remember.' She came toward him. 'Matthew,' she said, 'you think I have always been like this. Once I was remorseless, but this is another love — it goes everywhere; there is no place for it to stop — it rots me away.