"<p>Every sage whose thought I have ever known has taught me that we should live and write as if every action we take in life is our last as if every sentence we write is followed by death. Only the awareness of death without emotion, without fear, without unwise cowardice, gives our life and our writing a true attitude. We must live and write in a fatal way, that is, calmly, very attentively, with equal attention to the world and to ourselves, to our intellect and our passions, to the intentions of men and to our relations with the universe. This is the only conduct worthy of man: God requires no more of us. And there is no greater sin and vainer temptation than to want more or less than God requires of us.</p>"