“I had rather fashion my mind than furnish it.”

“When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.”

“I had rather complain of ill-fortune than be ashamed of victory.”

“If any one should importune me to give a reason why I loved him, I feel it could no otherwise be expressed than by making answer, ‘Because it was he; because it was I.’ There is, beyond what I am able to say, I know not what inexplicable and inevitable power that brought on this union.”

“We need to interpret interpretations more than to interpret things.”

“When I play with my cat, how do I know that she is not playing with me rather than I with her?”

“My art and profession is to live.”