The people have no ear, either for rhythm or music, and their unnatural passion for pianoforte playing and singing is thus all the more repulsive. There is nothing on earth more terrible than English music, except English painting.

As the stars are the glory of the sky, so great men are the glory of their country, yea, of the whole earth. The hearts of great men are the stars of earth; and doubtless when one looks down from above upon our planet, these hearts are seen to send forth, a silvery light just like the stars of heaven.

Out of my great sorrows, I make little songs.

Poverty sits by the cradle of all our great men and rocks all of them to manhood.

Atheism is the last word of theism

At first I was almost about to despair, I thought I never could bear it — but I did I bear it. The question remains: how?

Whatever tears one may shed, in the end one always blows one's nose.