“One must get used to speaking of one’s virtues bravely, to people’s faces. Who is to know, if not we ourselves, to what degree we are good?”

“In order to know virtue, we must first acquaint ourselves with vice.”

“In order to know virtue, we must first acquaint ourselves with vice. Marquis de Sade”

“We have only one story. All novels, all poetry, are built on the neverending contest in ourselves of good and evil. And it occurs to me that evil must constantly respawn, while good, while virtue, is immortal. Vice has always a new fresh young face, while virtue is venerable as nothing else in the world is.”

“We are given over to absolute solitude. No one can speak with us and no one can speak for us; we must take it upon ourselves, each of us must take it upon himself.”

“Sometimes we fight who we are, struggling against ourselves and our natures. But we must learn to accept who we are and appreciate who we become. We must love ourselves for what and who we are, and believe in our talents.”