The notion that as a man grows older his illusions leave him is not quite true. What is true is that his early illusions are supplanted by new, and to him, equally convincing illusions.

Criticism is the windows and chandeliers of art: it illuminates the enveloping darkness in which art might otherwise rest only vaguely discernible, and perhaps altogether unseen.

Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote.

Love demands infinitely less than friendship.

Great art is as irrational as great music. It is mad with its own loveliness.

A man's wife is his compromise with the illusion of his first sweetheart.

Love is the emotion that a woman feels always for a poodle dog and sometimes for a man.

Politics is the diversion of trivial men who, when they succeed at it, become important in the eyes of more trivial men.

Love is an emotion experienced by the many and enjoyed by the few.

A man reserves his true and deepest love not for the species of woman in whose company he finds himself electrified and enkindled, but for that one in whose company he may feel tenderly drowsy.

The test of a real comedian is whether you laugh at him before he opens his mouth.

The most diplomatic statement you can use for the person you hate:"If I would have water, and you would be on fire, ...I would drink IT.

I try to transform a dream's magic into reality.

No character, however upright, is a match for constantly reiterated attacks, however false.

In dealing with a man who thinks you are a fool, it is good sometimes to remind him that you know what he knows but have chosen to appear foolish for the sake of peace.

Love is the greatest light, the brightest torch, and will always be the greatest instrument of change.

Drinking spirits cannot cause spiritual damage.

Do you really think he untied you? .. He was just checking his kids handiwork.

Blessed is he who will not be offended

Perhaps I'm not a good actor, but I would be even worse at doing anything else.

Your soul either feels lifted by something that you read, or it feels squashed by it.