A writer who wishes to be read by posterity must not be averse to putting hints which might give rise to whole books, or ideas for learned discussions, in some corner of a chapter so that one should think he can afford to throw them away by the thousand.

Many intelligent people, when about to write . . . , force on their minds a certain notion about style, just as they screw up their faces when they sit for their portraits.

I have often noticed that when people come to understand a mathematical proposition in some other way than that of the ordinary demonstration, they promptly say, "Oh, I see. That's how it must be." This is a sign that they explain it to themselves from within their own system.

It is a great shame; most of our words are misused tools / which often still smell of the mud in which previous owners / desecrated them.

There is a great difference between believing in something and believing in it again.

The highest point to which a weak but experienced mind can rise is detecting the weakness of better men.

A book is a mirror: if an ape looks into it an apostle is hardly likely to look out.