We know our friends by their defects rather than by their merits.

In the first place it's not true that people improve as you know them better: they don't. That's why one should only have acquaintances and never make friends. An acquaintance shows you only the best of himself, he's considerate and polite, he conceals his defects behind a mask of social convention; but we grow so intimate with him that he throws the mask aside, get to know him so well that he doesn't trouble any longer to pretend; then you'll discover a being of such meanness, of such trivial nature, of such weakness, of such corruption, that you'd be aghast if you didn't realize that that was his nature and it was just as stupid to condemn him as to condemn the wolf because he ravens or the cobra because he strikes.

One can be very much in love with a woman without wishing to spend the rest of one's life with her.

Women are often under the impression that men are much more madly in love with them than they really are.

There is only one way to win hearts and that is to make oneself like unto those of whom one would be loved.

I always find it more difficult to say the things I mean than the things I don't.