That whatever a man says, promises, or resolves in passion he must stick to later on when he is cold and sober--this demand is among the heaviest burdens that weigh on humankind.

Woman is essentially unpeaceful, like the cat, however well she may have trained herself to present an appearance of peace.

The surest sign of the estrangement of the opinions of two persons is when they both say something ironical to each other and neither of them feels the irony.

Those who are devoid of purpose will make the void their purpose.

The happiness of man is: I will. The happiness of woman is: he wills. 'Behold , just now the world ... entire love. And woman must obey and find a depth for her surface. Surface is the disposition of woman: a mobile, stormy film over shallow water. Man's disposition, however, is deep; his river roars in subterranean caves: woman feels his strength but does not comprehend it.

No one can draw more out of things, books included, than he already knows. A man has no ears for that to which experience has given him no access.

The wheel and the brake have different duties, but also one in common: to hurt one another.