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.

I worshipped you too much. I am punished for it. You worshipped yourself too much. We are both punished.

The body sins once, and has done with its sin, for action is a mode of purification. Nothing remains then but the recollection of a pleasure, or the luxury of a regret.

A man who takes himself too seriously will find that no one else takes him seriously.

There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating - people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.

The simplicity of your character makes you exquisitely incomprehensible to me.

Music is the art... which most completely realizes the artistic idea and is the condition to which all the other arts are constantly aspiring.