The life of man in this world is like the life of a fly in a room filled with 100 boys, each armed with a fly-swatter.

It takes a long while for a naturally trustful person to reconcile himself to the idea that after all God will not help him

The first kiss is stolen by the man; the last is begged by the woman.

The fact is that the average man's love of liberty is nine-tenths imaginary, exactly like his love of sense, justice and truth... Liberty is not a thing for the great masses of men. It is the exclusive possession of a small and disreputable minority, like knowledge, courage and honor. It takes a special sort of man to understand and enjoy liberty - and he is usually an outlaw in democratic societies.

What chiefly distinguishes the daily press is its incurable fear of ideas, its constant effort to evade the discussion of fundamentals by translating all issues into a few elemental fears, its incessant reduction of all reflection to mere emotion.

The only liberty an inferior man really cherishes is the liberty to quit work, stretch out in the sun, and scratch himself.

No married woman ever trusts her husband absolutely, nor does she ever act as if she did trust him. Her utmost confidence is as wary as an American pickpocket's confidence that the policeman on the beat will stay bought.