When anaesthetics were invented they were thought to be wicked as being an attempt to thwart God's will. Insanity was thought to be due to diabolic possession, and it was believed that demons inhabiting a madman could be driven out by inflicting pain upon him, and so making them uncomfortable. In pursuit of this opinion, lunatics were treated for years on end with systematic and conscientious brutality.

It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.

What will be the good of the conquest of leisure and health, if no one remembers how to use them?

If you had the power to destroy the world, would you do so?

The best practical advice I can give to the present generation is to practice the virtue which the Christians call love.

I think that there is far too much work done in the world, that immense harm is caused by the belief that work is virtuous, and that what needs to be preached in modern industrial countries is quite different from what always has been preached.

People are zealous for a cause when they are not quite positive that it is true.