A vain man can never be altogether rude. Desirous as he is of pleasing, he fashions his manners after those of others.

The heights charm us, but the steps do not; with the mountain in our view we love to walk the plains.

Reason can never be popular. Passions and feelings may become popular, but reason will always remain the sole property of a few eminent individuals.

God could cause us considerable embarrassment by revealing all the secrets of nature to us: we should not know what to do for sheer apathy and boredom.

Error is acceptable as long as we are young; but one must not drag it along into old age.

If you want to reach the infinite, then explore every aspect of the finite.

The artist may be well advised to keep his work to himself till it is completed, because no one can readily help him or advise him with it... but the scientist is wiser not to withhold a single finding or a single conjecture from publicity.