I have always noticed that deeply and truly religious persons are fond of a joke, and I am suspicious of those who aren't.

In a certain sense, everything is everywhere at all times. For every location involves an aspect of itself in every other location. Thus every spatio-temporal standpoint mirrors the world

The preternatural solemnity of a good many of the professionally religious is to me a point against them.

It does not matter what men say in words, so long as their activities are controlled by settled instincts. The words may ultimately destroy the instincts; but until this has occurred, words do not count.

People make the mistake of talking about 'natural laws.' There are no natural laws. There are only temporary habits of nature.

The paradox is now fully established that the utmost abstractions are the true weapons with which to control our thought of concrete fact.

Other nations of different habits are not enemies: they are godsends. Men require of their neighbours something sufficiently akin to be understood, something sufficiently different to provoke attention, and something great enough to command admiration. We must not expect, however, all the virtues.