A great literature is thus chiefly the product of doubting and inquiring minds in revolt against the immovable certainties of the nation.

Religion is "so absurd that it comes close to imbecility."

The average schoolmaster is and always must be essentially an ass, for how can one imagine an intelligent man engaging in so puerile an avocation.

What I admire most in any man is a serene spirit, a steady freedom from moral indignation, and all-embracing tolerance--in brief,what is commonly called sportsmanship.

The idea that the sole aim of punishment is to prevent crime is obviously grounded upon the theory that crime can be prevented, which is almost as dubious as the notion that poverty can be prevented.

If experience teaches us anything at all, it teaches us this: that a good politician, under democracy, is quite as unthinkable as an honest burglar.

Experience is a poor guide to man, and is seldom followed. What really teaches a man is not experience, but observation.