The worst slave owners were those who were kind to their slaves

The form of government that is most suitable to the artist is no government at all. Authority over him and his art is ridiculous.

We think that we are generous because we credit our neighbor with those virtues that are likely to benefit ourselves. We praise the banker that we may overdraw our account, and find good qualities in the highwayman in the hope that he may spare our pockets.

Temperament is the primary requisite for the critic - a temperament exquisitely susceptible to beauty, and to the various impressions that beauty gives us.

I see the moon like a clipped piece of silver. Like gilded bees the stars cluster round her.

One should never make one's entrance with a scandal. One should reserve that to give an interest to one's old age.

One's only real life is the life one never leads.