It belongs to the self-respect of intellect to pursue every tangle of thought to its final unravelment.

Inventive genius requires pleasurable mental activity as a condition for its vigorous exercise. "Necessity is the mother of invention" is a silly proverb. "Necessity is the mother of futile dodges" is much closer to the truth. The basis of growth of modern invention is science, and science is almost wholly the outgrowth of pleasurable intellectual curiosity.

A man really writes for an audience of about ten persons. Of course if others like it, that is clear gain. But if those ten are satisfied, he is content.

Learning preserves the errors of the past, as well as its wisdom. For this reason, dictionaries are public dangers, although they are necessities.

Value is coextensive with reality.

What we perceive as the present is the vivid fringe of memory tinged with anticipation.

Art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self.