The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions.

The days on which one has been the most inquisitive are among the days on which one has been happiest.

Most human beings are quite likable if you don't see too much of them.

Mystery lies over the sea. Every ship is bound for Thule.

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.

It may be that all games are silly. But then, so are humans.

When one has praised Turgenev, however, for the beauty of his character and the beautiful truth of his art, one remembers that he, too, was human and therefore less than perfect. His chief failing was, perhaps, that of all the great artists, he was the most lacking in exuberance. That is why he began to be scorned in a world which rated exuberance higher than beauty or love or pity.