The ordinary method of education is to imprint ideas and opinions, in the strict sense of the word, prejudices, on the mind of the child, before it has had any but a very few particular observations. It is thus that he afterwards comes to view the world and gather experience through the medium of those ready-made ideas, rather than to let his ideas be formed for him out of his own experience of life, as they ought to be.

Reasonable and vicious are quite consistent with each other, in fact, only through their union are great and far-reaching crimes possible

It's the niceties that make the difference fate gives us the hand, and we play the cards.

Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right.

Always to see the general in the particular is the very foundation of genius.

Whether we are in a pleasant or a painful state depends, finally, upon the kind of matter that pervades and engrosses our consciousness and what we compare it to - better and we envious and sad, worse and we feel grateful and happy.

A writer should never be brief at the expense of being clear.