Wisdom lies in taking everything with good humor and a grain of salt.

Every nation thinks its own madness normal and requisite; more passion and more fancy it calls folly, less it calls imbecility.

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.

The fact of having been born is a bad augury for immortality.

To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.

Philosophy is a more intense sort of experience than common life is, just as pure and subtle music, heard in retirement, is something keener and more intense than the howling of storms or the rumble of cities.

Before you contradict an old man, my fair friend, you should endeavour to understand him.