A man's interest in the world is only the overflow from his interest in himself. When you are a child your vessel is not yet full;so you care for nothing but your own affairs. When you grow up, your vessel overflows; and you are a politician, a philosopher, or an explorer and adventurer. In old age the vessel dries up: there is no overflow: you are a child again.

With the exception of capitalism, there is nothing so revolting as revolution.

Nothing remains beautiful and interesting except thought, because the thought is the life.

Nobody can live in society without conventions. The reason why sensible people are as conventional as they can bear to be is that conventionality saves so much time and thought and trouble and social friction of one sort or another that it leaves them much more leisure time for freedom than unconventionality does.

Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get.

Democracy is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.

Emotional excitement reaches men through tea, tobacco, opium, whisky, and religion.