Whoever feels predestined to see and not to believe will find all believers too noisy and pushy: he guards against them.

Nobody can build the bridge for you to walk across the river of life, no one but you yourself alone. There are, to be sure, countless paths and bridges and demi-gods which would carry you across this river; but only at the cost of yourself; you would pawn yourself and lose. There is in the world only one way, on which nobody can go, except you: where does it lead? Do not ask, go along with it.

A refined nature is vexed by knowing that some one owes it thanks, a coarse nature by knowing that it owes thanks to some one.

How little is required for pleasure! The sound of a bagpipe - without music, life would be an error.

When one has not had a good father, one must create one.

The spirit of the poet craves spectators... even if only buffaloes.

People who have given us their complete confidence believe that they have a right to ours. The inference is false, a gift confers no rights.