When one is young, one venerates and despises without that art of nuances which constitutes the best gain of life, and it is only fair that one has to pay dearly for having assaulted men and things in this manner with Yes and No. Everything is arranged so that the worst of tastes, the taste for the unconditional, should be cruelly fooled and abused until a man learns to put a little art into his feelings and rather to risk trying even what is artificial — as the real artists of life do.

As soon as we climb higher than those who had at one time admired us, we appear to them as though we have sunken and fallen down:for, in any event, they had at one time supposed that they were with us (even if it were through us) on the heights.

Madness is the result not of uncertainty but certainty.

The Germans are like women, you can scarcely ever fathom their depths - they haven't any.

There is a certain right by which we many deprive a man of life, but none by which we may deprive him of death; this is mere cruelty.

I climb upon the highest mountains, laughing at all tragedies - whether real or imaginary.

If you look long enough into the void, the void begins to look back through you.