Oh happy pessimists! What a joy it is to them to be able to prove again and again that there is no joy.

Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop.

A book cannot easily be too bad for the general public, but may easily be too good.

Never expect women to be sincere, so long as they are educated to think that their first aim in life is to please.

To be young is delightful; to be old is comfortable.

Nowadays people are born to find fault. When they look at Achilles, they see only his heel.

The sympathy of most people consists of a mixture of good-humour, curiosity, and self-importance.