Stupid criticism and still more stupid praise.

I have striven for perfection, it has always eluded me, but I surely had an obligation to make one more try.

To copy the truth can be a good thing, but to invent the truth is better, much better.

I adore art...when I am alone with my notes, my heart pounds and the tears stream from my eyes, and my emotion and my joys are too much to bear.

It is better to invert reality than to copy it.

It may be a good thing to copy reality; but to invent reality is much, much better.

The artist must yield himself to his own inspiraton, and if he has a true talent, no one knows and feels better than he what suits him.

The success of our operas rests most of the time in the hands of the conductor. This person is as necessary as a tenor or a prima donna.

Of all composers, past and present, I am the least learned. I mean that in all seriousness, and by learning I do not mean knowledge of music.

Oh blessed a thousand times the peasant who is born, eats and dies without anybody bothering about his affairs.

Through care taken over trends, the desire to be novel and affectation knowledge, we repudiate our art, our instinct, our own way of doing things; it is absurd and stupid

Luz's manner of speaking made it clear that she had no idea what she might say next. It wasn't that she made things up, strictly speaking--only that facts were merely a point of departure for her.

If you are never the cause of someone's sadness, you will never have difficulties finding happiness.

It's harder to be afraid of something you understand

Men have a much better time of it than women. For one thing they marry later. For another thing they die earlier.

The Master said, “The gentleman understands what is right, whereas the petty man understands profit.” (Analects 4.16)

They say that time heals a broken heart, but time has stood still since we've been apart.

Optimism is the staunchest worshipper of life.

A lucky chance is constant in nothing but inconstancy.

All I ever really want to know is how other people are making it through life—where do they put their body, hour by hour, and how do they cope inside of it.

If you cannot grok the overall structure of a program while taking a shower, you are not ready to code it.