Christianity persecuted, tortured, and burned. Like a hound it tracked the very scent of heresy. It kindled wars, and nursed furious hatreds and ambitions... Man, far from being freed from his natural passions, was plunged into artificial ones quite as violent and much more disappointing.

Music contains a whole gamut of experience, from sensuous elements to ultimate intellectual harmonies.

Self-assurance is contemptible and fatal unless it is self-knowledge.

We are not compelled in naturalism, or even in materialism, to ignore immaterial things; the point is that any immaterial things which are recognized shall be regarded as names, aspects, functions, or concomitant products of those physical things among which action goes on.

why shouldnt things be largely absurd, futile, and transitory? they are so, and we are so, and they and we go together.

Our character ... is an omen of our destiny, and the more integrity we have and keep, the simpler and nobler that destiny is likely to be.

Nature in denying us perennial youth has at least invited us to become unselfish and noble.