Woe to him who seeks to please rather than appall.

Strange as it may seem, there is nothing in which a young and beautiful female appears to more advantage than in the art of smoking.

They talk of the dignity of work. The dignity is in leisure.

Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale... from hell's heart I stab at thee.

There is a woe that is wisdom, a woe that is madness.

It does seem to me, that herein we see the rare virtue of a strong individual vitality, and the rare virtue of thick walls, and the rare virtue of interior spaciousness. Oh, man! admire and model thyself after the whale! Do thou, too, remain warm among ice. Do thou, too, live in this world without being of it. Be cool at the equator; keep thy blood fluid at the Pole. Like the great dome of St. Peter's, and like the great whale, retain, O man! in all seasons a temperature of thine own.

I have written a wicked book, and feel spotless as the lamb. Ineffable socialities are in me. I would sit down and dine with you and all the gods in old Rome's Pantheon. It is a strange feeling--no hopefulness is in it, no despair. Content--that is it; and irresponsibility; but without licentious inclination.