The strength or weakness of a society depends more on the level of its spiritual life than on its level of industrialization. Neither a market economy nor even general abundance constitutes the crowning achievement of human life. If a nation's spiritual energies have been exhausted, it will not be saved from collapse by the most perfect government structure or by any industrial development. A tree with a rotten core cannot stand.

For a country to have a great writer is to have another government.

The one good thing about repeating your mistakes is that you know when to cringe

Human nature, if it changes at all, changes not much faster than the geological face of the earth.

To do evil a human being must first of all believe that what he's doing is good.

Cracks make caves collapse.

Shall I describe the happiness it gave me to go into the classroom and pick up the chalk? ... It seemed to me the supreme, heartbreaking happiness to enter a classroom carrying a register as that bell rang, and start a lesson with the mysterious air of one about to unfold wonders.