I sometimes think love consists precisely of the voluntary gift by the loved object of the right to tyrannize over it.

I have been tortured with longing to believe ... and the yearning grows stronger the more cogent the intellectual difficulties stand in the way.

Power is given only to him who dares to stoop and take it ... one must have the courage to dare.

Is there in the whole world a being who would have the right to forgive and could forgive?

My friends, ask gladness from God. Be glad as children, as birds in the sky. And let man's sin not disturb you in your efforts, do not feat that it will dampen your endeavor and keep it from being fulfilled, do not say, Sin is strong, impiety is strong, the bad environment is strong, and we are lonely and powerless, the bad environment will dampen us and keep our good endeavor from being fulfilled. Flee from such despondency, my children! There is only one salvation for you: take yourself up, and make yourself responsible for the sins of men.

I have no self-respect. But can a man of acute sensibility respect himself at all?

The whole work of man really seems to consist in nothing but proving to himself every minute that he is a man and not a piano key.