God! how is it that we fail to recognize that the mask of pleasure, stripped of all hypocrisy, is that of anguish?

Civilization exists precisely so that there may be no masses but rather men alert enough never to constitute masses.

Hell is not to love anymore.

Have you never been moved by poor men's fidelity, the image of you they form in their simple minds? Why should you always talk of their envy, without understanding that what they ask of you is not so much your worldly goods, as something very hard to define, which they themselves can put no name to; yet at times it consoles their loneliness; a dream of splendor, of magnificence, a tawdry dream, a poor man's dream -and yet God blesses it!

The world is eaten up by boredom. You can't see it all at once. It is like dust. You go about and never notice, you breathe it in, you eat and drink it. It is sifted so fine, it doesn't even grit on your teeth. But stand still for an instant and there it is, coating your face and hands.

Hope is a risk that must be run.

You owe it to everyone you love to find pockets of tranquility in your busy world.