For the butterfly, mating and propagation involve the sacrifice of life, for the human being, the sacrifice of beauty.

My days are as happy as those reserved by God for his elect; and whatever be my fate hereafter, I can never say that I have not tasted joy— the purest joy of life.

Tolerance should really be only a temporary attitude; it must lead to recognition. To tolerate means to offend.

The soul-stirring image of death is no bugbear to the sage, and is looked on without despair by the pious. It teaches the former to live, and it strengthens the hopes of the latter in salvation in the midst of distress. Death is new life to both.

If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however, if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that.

He who enjoys doing and enjoys what he has done is happy.

Man's highest merit always is, as much as possible, to rule external circumstances and as little as possible to let himself be ruled by them.