Intellect is invisible to the man who has none.

universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality.

Faith is like love, it cannot be forced. Therefore it is a dangerous operation if an attempt be made to introduce or bind it by state regulations; for, as the attempt to force love begets hatred, so also to compel religious belief produces rank unbelief.

Something of great importance now past is inferior to something of little importance now present, in that the latter is a reality, and related to the former as something to nothing.

A man of genius can hardly be sociable, for what dialogues could indeed be so intelligent and entertaining as his own monologues?

Genuine contempt, on the other hand, is the unsullied conviction of the worthlessness of another.

Suffering by nature or chance never seems so painful as suffering inflicted on us by the arbitrary will of another.