Have you ever seen a child sitting on its mother’s knee listening to fairy stories? As long as the child is told of cruel giants and of the terrible suffering of beautiful princesses, it holds its head up and its eyes open; but if the mother begins to speak of happiness and sunshine, the little one closes its eyes and falls asleep with its head against her breast. . . . I am a child like that, too. Others may like stories of flowers and sunshine; but I choose the dark nights and sad destinies.

For, so long as there are interesting books to read, it seems to me that neither I nor anyone else, for that matter, need be unhappy.

Women can do nothing that has permanence.

A man may be outlawed for the sake of a fish net he has never seen.

There is always a third possibility, as long as you have the ability to find it.

No one is able to enjoy such feast than the one who throws a party in his own mind.

He who is sorrowful can force himself to smile, but he who is glad cannot weep.