"Against sweet passion's fire the sole defense, The shroud that shields a lover's recompense, And serves to cover up such sweet delights, Oh skirt! You are the one I now beseech, To you I hereby dedica…"

"I am a great admirer of women, and I believe they are superior to men."

"Envy is the sister of emulation, and emulation is the daughter of envy."

"A lie, of course, is a lie, but it is a necessary evil."

"People are so like their first mother Eve: what they are given doesn't take their fancy. The serpent is forever enticing them to come to him, to the tree of mystery. They must have the forbidden fruit…"