The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone. Thus some scientists care for truth; and their truth is pitiless. Thus some humanitarians only care for pity; and their pity (I am sorry to say) is often untruthful.

To be clever enough to get all that money, one must be stupid enough to want it.

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.

There is something to be said for every error; but, whatever may be said for it, the most important thing to be said about it is that it is erroneous.

Surprise is the secret of joy.

There is no way in which a man can earn a star or deserve a sunset.

If you happen to read fairy tales, you will observe that one idea runs from one end of them to the other--the idea that peace and happiness can only exist on some condition. This idea, which is the core of ethics, is the core of the nursery-tales.