Great minds always tend to see virtue in misfortune.

We are scarcely apt to berate the source of enjoyment.

Genius is answerable only to itself; it is the sole judge of the means, since it alone knows the end; thus genius must consider itself as above the law, for it is the task of genius to remake the law; moreover the man who frees himself from his time and place may take everything, hazard everything, for everything is his by right.

Hatred is the vice of narrow souls; they feed it with all their littleness, and make it the pretext of base tyrannies.

He has great tranquility of heart who cares neither for the praises nor the fault-finding of men.

A lover always thinks of his mistress first and himself second; with a husband it runs the other way.

Love is the only way on which even the dim-witted reaches certain heights.