“One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.”

“A field of clay touched by the genius of man becomes a castle.”

“If there is a cure to any disease, then why not a formula to become a genius?”

“What a falsehood it is to say that genius and industry are incompatible! Does one work of genius exist that has not also been a work of labour?”

“We mustn't forget how quickly the visions of genius become the canned goods of intellectuals.”

“There is only one man to follow me who has genius, and that is Edward German.”

“It's a pity one can't imagine what one can't compare to anything. Genius is an African who dreams up snow.”

“Universality is the distinguishing mark of genius. There is no such thing as a special genius, a genius for mathematics, or for music, or even for chess, but only a universal genius. … The theory of special genius, according to which for instance, it is supposed that a musical genius should be a fool at other subjects, confuses genius with talent. … There are many kinds of talent, but only one kind of genius, and that is able to choose any kind of talent and master it.”

“In a stupid nation the man of genius becomes a god: everybody worships him and nobody does his will.”

“I bear it to be true that anyone can easily become a genius if you are ready to pay the price.”