Cliche refers to words, commonplace to ideas. Cliche describes the form or the letter, commonplace the substance or spirit. To confuse them is to confuse the thought with the expression of the thought. The cliche is immediately perceivable; the commonplace very often escapes notice if decked out in original dress. There are few examples, in any literature, of new ideas expressed in original form. The most critical mind must often be content with one or the other of these pleasures, only too happy when it is not deprived of both at once, which is not too rarely the case.

In order to understand life it is not only necessary not to be indifferent to men, but not to be indifferent to flocks, to trees. One should be indifferent to nothing.

Man has made use of his intelligence; he invented stupidity.

Life is a series of sensations connected to different states of consciousness

God is not all that exists. God is all that does not exist.

Of all the sexual aberrations, perhaps the most peculiar is chastity.

The pleasure of being a scoundrel can be adequately savored in silence.