I cannot persuade myself that a beneficient and omnipotent God would have designedly created...that a cat should play with mice.

I cannot see ... evidence of design and beneficence ... There seems to me too much misery in the world.

With highly civilised nations continued progress depends in a subordinate degree on natural selection; for such nations do not supplant and exterminate one another as do savage tribes.

Even the humblest mammal's strong sexual, parental, and social instincts give rise to 'do unto others as yourself' and 'love thy neighbor as thyself'.

If I had not been so great an invalid, I should not have done so much as I have accomplished.

After five years' work I allowed myself to speculate on the subject, and drew up some short notes; these I enlarged in 1844 into a sketch of the conclusions, which then seemed to me probable: from that period to the present day I have steadily pursued the same object. I hope that I may be excused for entering on these personal details, as I give them to show that I have not been hasty in coming to a decision.‎

I am not the least afraid to die