The mathematician who after seeing Phedre asked: 'Qu'est que ca prouve?' was not such a fool as he has been generally made out. No one has ever been able to explain why the Doric temple of Paestum is more beautiful than a glass of cold beer except by bringing in considerations that have nothing to do with beauty.

Beauty is something wonderful and strange that the artist fashions out of the chaos of the world in the torment of his soul.

There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

He found that it was easy to make a heroic gesture, but hard to abide by its results.

The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety.

Impropriety is the soul of wit.

It is not wealth one asks for, but just enough to preserve one's dignity, to work unhampered, to be generous, frank and independent.