Compassion is the chief law of human existence.

What terrible tragedies realism inflicts on people.

Even there, in the mines, underground, I may find a human heart in another convict and murderer by my side, and I may make friends with him, for even there one may live and love and suffer. One may thaw and revive a frozen heart in that convict, one may wait upon him for years, and at last bring up from the dark depths a lofty soul, a feeling, suffering creature; one may bring forth an angel, create a hero! There are so many of them, hundreds of them, and we are all to blame for them. [...] If they drive God from the earth, we shall shelter Him underground.

Man, so long as he remains free, has no more constant and agonizing anxiety than find as quickly as possible someone to worship.

But what are years, what are months!" he would exclaim. "Why count the days, when even one day is enough for man to know all happiness.

People really do like seeing their best friends humiliated; a large part of the friendship is based on humiliation; and that is an old truth,well known to all intelligent people.

Forgive me... for my love -for ruining you with my love.