M. Zola is determined to show that, if he has not got genius, he can at least be dull.

An artist should create beautiful things, but should put nothing of his own life into them.

Shakespeare might have met Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the white streets of London, or seen the serving-men of rival houses bite their thumbs at each other in the open square; but Hamlet came out of his soul, and Romeo out of his passion.

What consoles one nowadays is not repentance but pleasure. Repentance is quite out of date.

Know thyself' was written over the portal of the antique world. Over the portal of the new world, 'Be thyself' shall be written.

To define is to limit.

California is an Italy without its art.