“Der Pessimist ist jemand, der vorzeitig die Wahrheit erzählt.”

“You marvel that this matter, shuffled pell-mell at the whim of Chance, could have made a man, seeing that so much was needed for the construction of his being. But you must realize that a hundred million time this matter, on the way to human shape, has been stopped to form now a stone, now lead, now coral, now a flower, now a comet; and all because of more or fewer elements that were or were not necessary for designing a man. Little wonder if, within an infinite quantity of matter that ceaselessly changes and stirs, the few animals, vegetables, and minerals we see should happen to be made; no more wonder than getting a royal pair in a hundred casts of the dice. Indeed it is equally impossible for all this stirring not to lead to something; and yet this something will always be wondered at by some blockhead who will never realize how small a change would have made it into something else.”

“Well — when I write my book, and tell the tale Of my adventures — all these little stars That shake out of my cloak — I must save those To use for asterisks...”

“She is a mortal danger to all men. She is beautiful without knowing it, and possesses charms that she's not even aware of. She is like a trap set by nature - a sweet perfumed rose in whose petals Cupid lurks in ambush! Anyone who has seen her smile has known perfection. She instills grace in every common thing and divinity in every careless gesture. Venus in her shell was never so lovely, and Diana in the forest never so graceful as you.”

“Perish the universe, provided I have my revenge!”

“Wo der Anfang der Existenz ist, ist auch der Anfang der Literatur. Wenn der Wind durchs Haus geht, muß man sich danach erkundigen, warum es so ist. Die Schönheit ist ein gutes Ding. Aber Schönheit ohne Wahrheit ist böse. Wahrheit ohne Schönheit ist besser. Sie bereitet die legitime Schönheit vor, die Schönheit hinter der Selbstdreingabe, hinter dem Schmerz.”

“Die Frage der Wahrheit ist Sache von Theologen und Philosophen. In der Politik geht es nicht um Wahrheit, sondern um Wahrnehmung.”