The tree of life should perhaps be called the coral of life, base of branches dead; so that passages cannot be seen-this again offers contradiction to constant succession of germs in progress.

If man had not been his own classifier, he would never have thought of founding a separate order for his own reception.

We are optimists, until we are not.

If a person asked my advice, before undertaking a long voyage, my answer would depend upon his possessing a decided taste for some branch of knowledge, which could by this means be advanced. No doubt it is a high satisfaction to behold various countries and the many races of mankind, but the pleasures gained at the time do not counterbalance the evils.

Our faculties are more fitted to recognize the wonderful structure of a beetle than a Universe.

I am actually weary of telling people that I do not pretend to adduce [direct] evidence of one species changing into another, but I believe that this view is in the main correct, because so many phenomena can thus be grouped end explained.

I have at least, as I hope, done good service in aiding to overthrow the dogma of separate creations.