It is not my design to drink or sleep; my design is to make what haste I can to be gone.

What is death? A scary mask. Take it off—see, it doesn’t bite.

To desire immortality for the individual is really the same as wanting to perpetuate an error forever.

The only evidence, so far as I know, about another life is, first, that we have no evidence; and, secondly, that we are rather sorry that we have not, and wish we had.

There never is absolute birth nor complete death, in the strict sense, consisting in the separation of the soul from the body. What we call births are developments and growths, while what we call deaths are envelopments and diminutions.

If a parricide is more wicked than anyone who commits homicide—because he kills not merely a man but a near relative—without doubt worse still is he who kills himself, because there is none nearer to a man than himself. 

I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him.

In dealing with the dead, if we treat them as if they were entirely dead, that would show a want of affection and should not be done; or, if we treat them as if they were entirely alive, that would show a want of wisdom and should not be done.

Life is a farce, and should not end with a mourning scene.

The play is the tragedy “Man,” And its hero the conqueror worm.

I order that my funeral ceremonies be extremely modest, and that they take place at dawn or at the evening Ave Maria, without song or music.

Man has here two and a half minutes—one to smile, one to sigh, and half a one to love; for in the midst of this minute he dies.

I am about to take my last voyage, a great leap in the dark.