For a man’s life would become intolerable, if he knew what was going to happen to him. He would be made aware of future evils, and would suffer their agonies in advance, while he would get no joy of present blessings since he would know how they would end. Ignorance is the necessary condition of human happiness, and it has to be admitted that on the whole mankind observes that condition well. We are almost entirely ignorant of ourselves; absolutely of others. In ignorance, we find our bliss; in illusions, our happiness.

The man of science multiples the points of contact between man and nature.

It is not easy to be a pretty woman without causing mischief.

Chance is the pseudonym God uses when He'd rather not sign His own name.

There are no bad books any more than there are ugly women.

Existence would be intolerable if we were never to dream.

You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving.