"A good number of works owe their success to the mediocrity of their authors' ideas, which match the mediocrity of those of the general public."

“A man begins every stage of his life as a novice.”

“I asked M.—why he'd turned down the offer of a particular post. “I didn't want a post where the office is more important than the holder of it,” he replied.”

“Someone was talking about the respect we owe the public. “Yes,” said M...., “It's a question of prudence. Nobody has a high opinion of fishwives but who would dare offend them while walking through the fish market.”

“Every day I add to the list of things I refuse to discuss. The wiser the man, the longer the list.”

“In the world you have three sorts of friends: your friends who love you, your friends who do not care about you and your friends who hate you.”

“Anyone placed at exactly the same distance between yourself and your enemy will always appear closer to your enemy.”