The immense success of our life is, I think, that our treasure is hid away; or rather in such common things that nothing can touch it.

No, she thought, one could say nothing to nobody. The urgency of the moment always missed its mark. Words fluttered sideways and struck the object inches too low.

It was as if someone had taken a tiny bead of pure life and decking it as lightly as possible with down and feathers, had set it dancing and zigzagging to show us the true nature of life.

I need not hate any man; he cannot hurt me. I need not flatter any man; he has nothing to give me.

And now more than anything I want beautiful prose. I relish it more and more exquisitely.

I was so pleased and excited by your letter that I trotted about all day like a puppy with a bone.

Let us simmer over our incalculable cauldron, our enthralling confusion, our hotchpotch of impulses, our perpetual miracle - for the soul throws up wonders every second. Movement and change are the essence of our being; rigidity is death; conformity is death; let us say what comes into our heads, repeat ourselves, contradict ourselves, fling out the wildest nonsense, and follow the most fantastic fancies without caring what the world does or thinks or says. For nothing matters except life.