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

Life is what matters, life alone - the continuous, eternal process of discovering life - and not the discovery itself.

Lying is a delightful thing, for it leads to truth.

It suddenly seemed to me that I was lonely, that every one was forsaking me and going away from me. Of course, any one is entitled to ask who "every one" was. For though I had been living almost eight years in Petersburg I had hardly an acquaintance. But what did I want with acquaintances? I was acquainted with all Petersburg as it was.

But people will laugh at all sorts of things.

What is most vile and despicable about money is that it even confers talent. And it will do so until the end of the world.

I believe the best definition of man is the ungrateful biped.