All conservatism is based upon the idea that if you leave things alone you leave them as they are. But you do not. If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change.

It is largely because the free-thinkers, as a school, have hardly made up their minds whether they want to be more optimist or more pessimist than Christianity that their small but sincere movement has failed.

I think the oddest thing about the advanced people is that, while they are always talking about things as problems, they have hardly any notion of what a real problem is.

Gratitude produced the most purely joyful moments that have been known to man.

It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted; precisely because most things are permitted and only a few things forbidden.

We are passing into a social phase in which unless a heroic effort is made for human dignity and freedom, gold will be the sole method of government and therefore the sole standard of manners.

No sceptical philosopher can ask any questions that may not equally be asked by a tired child on a hot afternoon.