91 Quotes by Machado de Assis

His eyes, blind to external reality but highly perceptive in the realm of the inner life, rose from the book to the ceiling and returned to the book.

He discriminated against neither the avaricious nor the prodigal: both were committed to the asylum; this led people to say that the alienist's concept of madness included practically everybody.

Each person is worth the value put on them by the affection of others, and that is where popular wisdom has found that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

He had found in himself the perfect, undeniable case of insanity. He possessed wisdom, patience, tolerance, truthfulness, loyalty, and moral fortitude—all the qualities that go to make an utter madman.

He was happy because, after such a long study, experimentation, and struggle, he could at last affirm the ultimate truth: there never were and never would be any madmen in Itaguai or anywhere else.

Bacamarte evidenced neither vanity nor modesty; he listened in silence, as impassive as a stone god.

Capitu, apesar daqueles olhos que o diabo lhe deu... Você já reparou nos olhos dela? São assim de cigana oblíqua e dissimulada. Pois apesar deles, poderia passar, se não fosse a vaidade e a adulação. Oh! A adulação!

The lady reader, who is my friend and has opened this book with the idea of relaxing between yesterday's cavatina and today's waltz, would like to close it in a hurry now that she sees we are skirting an abyss... Don't do it my dear; I'll wheel about.

Não confunda o romance com a vida, ou viverá desgraçada.