Reforms in Russia are very tragic, but they always end in a farce.

For the canons of good society are, or should be, the same as the canons of art. Form is absolutely essential to it.

Reforms in Russia are very tragic, but they always end in a farce.

It often happens that the real tragedies of life occur in such an inartistic manner that they hurt us by their crude violence, their absolute incoherence, their absurd want of meaning, their entire lack of style.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

The only real people are the people who never existed.

Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, and creeds follow one another like the withered leaves of Autumn; but what is beautiful is a joy for all seasons and a possession for all eternity.