At the approach of danger two voices speak with equal force in the heart of man: one very reasonably tells the man to consider the nature of the danger and the means of avoiding it and the other, even more reasonable, says that it is too painful and harassing to think of the danger... better to turn aside from the painful subject till it has come, and to think of what is pleasant. In solitude a man generally yields to the first voice; in society to the second.

The simplest and shortest ethical precept is to be served as little as possible . . . and to serve others as much as possible.

Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced.

I believe that the reason of life is for each of us simply to grow in love.

Some mathematician said that pleasure lies not in discovering the truth but in searching for it.

In historic events, the so-called great men are labels giving names to events, and like labels they have but the smallest connection with the event itself. Every act of theirs, which appears to them an act of their own will, is in an historical sense involuntary and is related to the whole course of history and predestined from eternity.

Art should cause violence to be set aside and it is only art that can accomplish this.