“Believing passionately in the palpably not true... is the chief occupation of mankind.”

“The most common of all follies is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind.”

“My chief occupation, despite appearances, has always been love.”

“In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.”

“Is it true that you insisted you knew no difference in beauty between some brutal sensual stunt and any great deed, even the sacrifice of life for mankind? Is it true that you found a coincidence in beauty, a sameness of pleasure at both poles?...You married out of a passion for torture, out of a passion for remorse, out of moral sensuality.”

“I believe in God--in spite of God! I believe in Mankind--in spite of Mankind! I believe in the Future--in spite of the Past!”