The cause of laughter is simply the sudden perception of the incongruity between a concept and the real project.

A pessimist is an optimist in full possession of the facts.

Talent works for money and fame; the motive which moves genius to productivity is, on the other hand, less easy to determine.

What a person is for himself, what abides with him in his loneliness and isolation, and what no one can give or take away from him, this is obviously more essential for him than everything that he possesses or what he may be in the eyes of others.

...in the end every one stands alone, and the important thing is who it is that stands alone.

National character is only another name for the particular form which the littleness, perversity and baseness of mankind take in every country. Every nation mocks at other nations, and all are right.

As the biggest library if it is in disorder is not as useful as a small but well-arranged one, so you may accumulate a vast amount of knowledge but it will be of far less value than a much smaller amount if you have not thought it over for yourself.