He had reached that moment in life, different for each one of us, when a man abandonds himself to his demon or to his genius, following a mysterious law which bids him either to destroy or outdo himself.

In the evenings the art of building gave way to that of music, which is architecture, too, though invisible.

I am not sure that the discovery of love is necessarily more exquisite than the discovery of poetry.

nothing is slower than the true birth of a man

There are books which one should not attempt before having passed the age of forty.

But happiness is brittle, and if men and circumstances don't destroy it, it is threatened by ghosts.

Do not mistake me. I am not yet weak enough to yield to fearful imaginings, which are almost as absurd as illusions of hope, and are certainly harder to bear. If I must deceive myself, I should prefer to stay on the side of confidence, for I shall lose no more there and shall suffer less.