There was no one near to confuse me, so I was forced to become original.

Never was I so devout as when I composed The Creation. I knelt down each day to pray to God to give me strength for my work....When I was working on The Creation I felt so impregnated with Divine certainty, that before sitting down to the piano, I would quietly and confidently pray to God to grant me the talent that was needed to praise Him worthily.

Since God has given me a cheerful heart, He will forgive me for serving Him cheerfully.

When I think upon my God, my heart is full of joy that the notes dance and leap from my pen.

The custom of saluting [i.e., embracing] ladies by their relatives and friends was introduced, it is said, by the early Romans, not out of respect originally, but to find by their breath whether they had been drinking wine, this being criminal for women to do, as it sometimes led to adultery.

Rules are my very humble, obedient servants.

Cheer up, children, I am all right.