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

A man looking at a hippopotamus may sometimes be tempted to regard a hippopotamus as an enormous mistake; but he is also bound to confess that a fortunate inferiority prevents him personally from making such mistakes.

Then I only wondered who put the toys in the stocking; now I wonder who put the stocking by the bed, and the bed in the room, and the room in the house, and the house on the planet, and the great planet in the void.

The timidity of the child or the savage is entirely reasonable; they are alarmed at this world, because this world is a very alarming place. They dislike being alone because it is verily and indeed an awful idea to be alone. Barbarians fear the unknown for the same reason that Agnostics worship it - because it is a fact.

There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and the tired man who wants a book to read.

What life and death may be to a turkey is not my business; but the soul of Scrooge and the body of Cratchit are my business.

If you'd take your head home and boil it for a turnip it might be useful. I can't say. But it might.