He who lives in the single exercise of his mental faculties, however usefully or curiously directed, is equally an imperfect animal with the man who knows only the exercise of muscles.

it is not that religion is merely useless, it is mischievous. It is mischievous by its idle terrors; it is mischievous by its false morality; it is mischievous by its hypocrisy; by its fanaticism; by its dogmatism; by its threats; by its hopes; by its promises.

Equality! Where is it, if not in education? Equal rights! They cannot exist without equality of instruction.

To give liberty to a slave before he understands its value is, perhaps, rather to impose a penalty than to bestow a blessing.

How are men to be secured in any rights without instruction; how to be secured in the equal exercise of those rights without equality of instruction? By instruction understand me to mean knowledge - just knowledge; not talent, not genius, not inventive mental powers.

The world is full of religion, and full of misery and crime.

Religion may be defined thus: a belief in, and homage rendered to, existences unseen and causes unknown.