All the labor of all the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius are destined to extinction. So now, my friends, if that is true, and it is true, what is the point?

Government can easily exist without laws, but law cannot exist without government.

There may be no good reasons for very many opinions that are held with passion.

There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the parents are stronger than children.

The first essential character [of civilization], I should say, is forethought. This, indeed, is what mainly distinguishes men from brutes and adults from children.

Historically, it is quite doubtful whether Christ ever existed at all, and if He did we do not know anything about Him.

Patriotism which has the quality of intoxication is a danger not only to its native land but to the world, and "My country never wrong" is an even more dangerous maxim than "My country, right or wrong."