The more powerful and original a mind, the more it will incline towards the religion of solitude.

The proper study of mankind is books.

Science has explained nothing; the more we know the more fantastic the world becomes and the profounder the surrounding darkness.

Suppose it were perfectly certain that the life and fortune of each of us would some day depend upon our winning or losing a game of chess. Do you not think that we should all consider it to be our primary duty to learn at least the names of the pieces and how to position them on the chessboard?

What drivel it all is!... A string of words called religion. Another string of words called philosophy. Half a dozen other stringscalled political ideals. And all the words either ambiguous or meaningless. And people getting so excited about them they'll murder their neighbours for using a word they don't happen to like. A word that probably doesn't mean as much as a good belch. Just a noise without even the excuse of gas on the stomach.

In books, the proportion of exceptional to commonplace people is high; in reality, very low.

So long as men worship the Caesars and Napoleons, Caesars and Napoleons will duly arise and make them miserable.