He had thought more than other men, and in matters of the intellect he had that calm objectivity, that certainty of thought and knowledge, such as only really intellectual men have, who have no axe to grind, who never wish to shine, or to talk others down, or to appear always in the right.

Eternity is a mere moment, just long enough for a joke.

Wisdom is not communicable. The wisdom which a wise man tries to communicate always sounds foolish.

Life is always frightful. We cannot help it and we are responsible all the same. One's born and at once one is guilty.

It was all a lie, it all stank, stank of lies, it all gave the illusion of meaning and happiness and beauty, and all of it was just putrefaction that no one would admit to. Bitter was the taste of the world. Life was a torment.

The world is not imperfect or slowly evolving along a long path to perfection. No, it is perfect at every moment; every sin already carries grace within it, all small children are potential old men, all sucklings have death within them, all dying people — eternal life.

...and the vessel was not full, his intellect was not satisfied, his soul was not at peace, his heart was not still.