Every man deserves to be judged in the context of his times.

The technical history of modern harmony is a history of growth of toleration by the human ear of chords that at first sounded discordant and senseless to the main body of contemporary professional musicians.

Literature is like any other trade; you will never sell anything unless you go to the right shop.

Do not try to live forever. You will not succeed.

Civilized society is one huge bourgeoisie: no nobleman dares now shock his greengrocer.

My mother married a very good man ... and she is not at all keen on my doing the same.

You cannot have power for good without having power for evil too. Even mother's milk nourishes murderers as well as heroes.