Novels are the Socratic dialogues of our time. Practical wisdom fled from school wisdom into this liberal form.

Many a witty inspiration is like the surprising reunion of befriended thoughts after a long separation.

Is it not superfluous to write more than one novel if the writer has not become, say, a new man? Obviously, all the novels of an author not infrequently belong together and are to a certain degree only one novel.

Irony is a clear consciousness of an eternal agility, of the infinitely abundant chaos.

Every form of life is in its origin not natural, but divine and human; for it must spring from love, just as there can be no reason without spirit.

Beauty is that which is simultaneously attractive and sublime.

In many a poetic work, one gets here and there, instead of representation merely a title indicating that this or that was supposedto be represented here, that the artist has been prevented from doing it and most humbly asks to be kindly excused.