Marquis de Sade — "The only true religion is the religion of pleasure."

"Conspiracy! Intrigue! A rapidly thickening plot! Add some bestiality and a lecherous priest and I'd say you have the beginnings of a beautiful novel."

"There are,' said Curval, 'but two or three crimes to perform in this world, and they, once done, there's no more to be said; all the rest is inferior, you cease any longer to feel."

"The universe is a chaos of matter and motion, without any intelligent principle."

"Nature has endowed each of us with a capacity for kindly feelings: let us not squander them on others."

"Ah, a little of this, a little of that, it's my life's happiness, you know. I've not much patience with mild or tidy pleasures."