There in the mist, enormous, majestic, silent and terrible, stood the Great Wall of China. Solitarily, with the indifference of nature herself, it crept up the mountain side and slipped down to the depth of the valley.

There's nothing the world loves more than a ready-made description which they can hang on to a man, and so save themselves all trouble in future.

But I am not sure it would contain any short stories. For the short story is a minor art, and it must content itself with moving, exciting and amusing the reader. ...I do not think that there is any (short story) that will give the reader that thrill, that rapture, that fruitful energy which great art can produce.

The most valuable thing I have learned from life is to regret nothing.

Evil can be condoned only if in the beyond it is compensated by good and god himself needs immortality to vindicate his ways to man.

Often the best way to overcome desire is to satisfy it.

There's no one as transparent as the person who thinks he's devilish deep.