A penniless man who has no ties to bind him is master of himself at any rate, but a luckless wretch who is in love no longer belongs to himself, and may not take his own life. Love makes us almost sacred in our own eyes; it is the life of another that we revere within us; then and so begins for us the cruelest trouble of all.

Love, according to our contemporary poets, is a privilege which two beings confer upon one another, whereby they may mutually cause one another much sorrow over absolutely nothing.

It's not enough to be a good person. You also have to show it.

I can no longer think of anything but you. In spite of myself, my imagination carries me to you. I grasp you, I kiss you, I caress you, a thousand of the most amorous caresses take possession of me.

Emulation admires and strives to imitate great actions; envy is only moved to malice.

Nobody loves a woman because she is handsome or ugly, stupid or intelligent. We love because we love.

Tradesmen regard an author with a mixed feeling of terror, compassion and curiosity.