Those horses must have been Spanish jennets, born of mares mated with a zephyr; for they went as swiftly as the wind, and the moon, which had risen at our departure to give us light, rolled through the sky like a wheel detached from its carriage.

Critical lice are like body lice, which desert corpses to seek the living.

Only that which serves no end is beautiful; everything useful is ugly.

The pleasure in traveling consists of the obstacles, the fatigue, and even the danger. What charm can anyone find in an excursion when he is always sure of reaching his destination, of having horses ready waiting for him, a soft bed, an excellent supper, and all the eases and comfort he can enjoy in his own home! One of the great misfortunes of modern life is the want of any sudden surprise, and the absence of all adventure. Everything is so well arranged.

What I write is not for little girls.

I am one of those for whom superfluity is a necessity.

Once [a cat] has given its love, what absolute confidence, what fidelity of affection!