It is not the fear of death which creates the desire for immortality, but the desire for immortality which causes the fear of death.

Talent is hereditary; it may be the common possession of a whole family (eg, the Bach family); genius is not transmitted; it is never diffused, but is strictly individual.

Universality is the distinguishing mark of genius. There is no such thing as a special genius, a genius for mathematics, or for music, or even for chess, but only a universal genius. The genius is a man who knows everything without having learned it.

Among the notable things about fire is that it also requires oxygen to burn - exactly like its enemy, life. Thereby are life and flames so often compared.

The Jew is an inborn Communist.

But the higher a man mounts, the greater may be his fall; all genius is a conquering of chaos, mystery.

Fate determines many things, no matter how we struggle.