Mary E. Davis: Erik Satie

“I came into the world very young, in an age that was very old.”

"When I was young, I was told: 'You'll see, when you're fifty.' I am fifty and I haven't seen a thing."

"I eat only white foods: eggs, sugar, grated bones, the fat of dead animals; veal, salt, coconut, chicken cooked in white water; fruit mold, rice, turnips; camphorated sausage, dough, cheese (white), cotton salad, and certain fish (skinless)."

"Before I compose a piece, I walk around it several times, accompanied by myself."

"Why attack God? He may be as miserable as we are."

"The musician is perhaps the most modest of animals, but he is also the proudest. It is he who invented the sublime art of ruining poetry."

“I am by far your superior, but my notorious modesty prevents me from saying so.”

"As a person, I am neither good nor bad. I waver between the two, so to speak. So I have never really done harm to anyone — nor good, come to that. All the same, I have plenty of enemies — loyal enemies, of course. Why? For the most part, it is because they don't know me — or only know me secondhand, in short, through hearsay (lies worse than death). Man can never be perfect. I bear no grudge against them: they are the main victims of their ignorance and short-sightedness.... Poor folk! ... So I am sorry for them. Let us pass on. I shall come back to this subject later."