I live in terror of not being misunderstood.

The liar at any rate recognizes that recreation, not instruction, is the aim of conversation, and is a far more civilized being than the blockhead who loudly expresses his disbelief in a story which is told simply for the amusement of the company.

The only form of fiction in which real characters do not seem out of place is history. In novels they are detestable.

It is perfectly monstrous,' he said, at last, 'the way people go about nowadays saying things against one behind one's back that are absolutely and entirely true.

An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.

Women love us for our defects. If we have enough of them, they will forgive us everything, even our gigantic intellects.

You know we poor artists have to show ourselves in society from time to time, just to remind the public that we are not savages.