Novels have a habit of concluding in the same way that the Lord's Prayer begins: with the kingdom of heaven on earth.

What is called good society is usually nothing but a mosaic of polished caricatures.

Good drama must be drastic.

Virtue is reason which has become energy.

An aphorism ought to be entirely isolated from the surrounding world like a little work of art and complete in itself like a hedgehog.

In actual life every great enterprise begins with and takes its first forward step in faith.