All the doctrines that have flourished in the world about immortality have hardly affected man's natural sentiment in the face of death.

Most men's conscience, habits, and opinions are borrowed from convention and gather continually comforting assurances from the same social consensus that originally suggested them.

There are three traps that strangle philosophy: The church, the marriage bed, and the professor's chair.

Everything in nature is lyrical in its ideal essence, tragic in its fate, and comic in its existence.

Do not have evil-doers for friends, do not have low people for friends: have virtuous people for friends, have for friends the best of men.

To understand oneself is the classic form of consolation; to elude oneself is the romantic.

Historical investigation has for its aim to fix the order and character of events throughout past time and in all places. The task is frankly superhuman.