When the philosopher's argument becomes tedious, complicated, and opaque, it is usually a sign that he is attempting to prove as true to the intellect what is plainly false to common sense.

Proverbs save us the trouble of thinking. What we call folk wisdom is often no more than a kind of expedient stupidity.

It's a fool's life, a rogue's life, and a good life if you keep laughing all the way to the grave.

Indolence and melancholy: Each generates the other. If one can speak of such feeble passions as generating anything.

Apuleius married a rich widow, then wrote _The Golden Ass_.

One must be reasonable in one's demands on life. For myself, all that I ask is: (1) accurate information; (2) coherent knowledge; (3) deep understanding; (4) infinite loving wisdom; (5) no more kidney stones, please.

Democracy -- rule by the people -- sounds like a fine thing; we should try it sometime in America.