"People are stupid, cowardly, and greedy—and yet I love them."

"One must not put a loaded rifle on the stage if no one is thinking of firing it."

"If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there."

"If you cry ‘Forward!’ you must make sure in which direction."

"It is not a question of pessimism or optimism, but of being a good doctor."