Love is the most selfish of all the passions.

Perhaps what I am about to say will appear strange to you gentlemen, socialists, progressives, humanitarians as you are, but I never worry about my neighbor, I never try to protect society which does not protect me -- indeed, I might add, which generally takes no heed of me except to do me harm -- and, since I hold them low in my esteem and remain neutral towards them, I believe that society and my neighbor are in my debt.

We must never expect discretion in first love: it is accompanied by such excessive joy that unless the joy is allowed to overflow, it will choke you.

Everyone knows that God protects drunkards and lovers.

Woman is sacred; the woman one loves is holy.

to seek a quarrel with a man is a bad method of pleasing the woman who loves that man.