Edmond de Goncourt

A delicate wit is a corruption which a nation takes a long time to acquire. It is only worn-out nations that possess it.

That which probably hears more stupidities than anything else in the world is a painting in a museum.

The people like neither the true nor the simple; they like novels and charlatans.

Never speak of yourself to others; make them talk about themselves instead: therein lies the whole art of pleasing. Everyone knows it and everyone forgets it.