Everything ends this way in France — everything. Weddings, christenings, duels, burials, swindlings, diplomatic affairs — everything is a pretext for a good dinner.

God is on everyone's side... and in the last analysis, he is on the side with plenty of money and large armies.

Beauty is one of the rare things that do not lead to doubt of God.

I like reality. It tastes like bread.

To say yes, you have to sweat and roll up your sleeves and plunge both hands into life up to the elbows. It is easy to say no, even if saying no means death.

What fun it would be to be poor, as long as one was excessively poor! Anything in excess is most exhilarating

The object of art is to give life shape.