“There is nothing more to be said or to be done tonight, so hand me over my violin and let us try to forget for half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable ways of our fellowmen.”

“It is only certain that there is nothing certain, and that nothing is more miserable or more proud than man.”

“But before we face experience, that miserable enemy, let us have some more innocence, just for a while.”

“The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others—indeed, it is easier to “find” ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!”

“In his opinion, humans were best when miserable, and so he had worked at being miserable his whole life, and in his generous way tried to make as many people miserable as possible.”

“Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short.”