One-half, the finest half, of life is hidden from the man who does not love with passion.

Only great minds can afford a simple style.

Great ladies are no more spiteful than the average rich woman; but one acquires in their society a greater susceptibility, and feels more profoundly andmore irremediably, their unpleasant remarks.

Politics in the middle of things of the imagination is like a pistol shot in the middle of a concert.

What is really beautiful must always be true.

An English traveller relates how he lived upon intimate terms with a tiger; he had reared it and used to play with it, but always kept a loaded pistol on the table.

Love has always been the most important business in my life; I should say the only one.