The swan, like the soul of the poet, By the dull world is ill understood.

In earlier religions the spirit of the time was expressed through the individual and confirmed by miracles. In modern religions the spirit is expressed through the many and confirmed by reason.

The fountain of love is the rose and the lily, the sun and the dove.

Oh what lies there are in kisses! And their guile so well prepared! Sweet the snaring is; but this is Sweeter still, to be ensnared.

She resembles the Venus de Milo: she is very old, has no teeth, and has white spots on her yellow skin.

I bequeath all my property to my wife on the condition that she remarry immediately. Then there will be at least one man to regret my death.

I care little in the existence of a heaven or hell; self respect does not allow me to guide my acts with an eye toward heavenly salvation or hellish punishment. I pursue the good in life because it is beautiful and attracts me; and shun the bad because it is ugly and repulsive. All our acts should originate from the spring of unselfish love, whether there be a continuation after death or not.