Seek simplicity but distrust it.

In order to acquire learning, we must first shake ourselves free of it.

What the learned world tends to offer is one second-hand scrap of information illustrating ideas derived from another second-hand scrap of information. The second-handedness of the learned world is the secret of its mediocrity.

Governments are best classified by considering who are the 'somebodies' they are in fact endeavouring to satisfy.

Human life is driven forward by its dim apprehension of notions too general for its existing language.

Culture is activity of thought, and receptiveness to beauty and humane feeling. Scraps of information have nothing to do with it. A merely well informed man is the most useless bore on God's earth.

Learning is often spoken of as if we are watching the open pages of all the books which we have ever read, and then, when occasion arises, we select the right page to read aloud to the universe.