Many a witty inspiration is like the surprising reunion of befriended thoughts after a long separation.

Ideas are infinite, original, and lively divine thoughts.

When ideas become gods, consciousness of harmony becomes devotion, humility, and hope.

One should have wit, but not wish to have it; otherwise there will be witticism, the Alexandrian style of wit.

Whoever has not arrived at the clear insight that there might be greatness entirely outside his own sphere for which he has no understanding, whoever does not have at least a dim inkling in which area of the human spirit this greatness might be situated: he is within his own sphere either without genius, or he has not educated himself up to the point of the classical attitude.

The two basic maxims of the so-called historical criticism are the postulate of the common and the axiom of the ordinary. Postulate of the common: everything really great, good, and beautiful, is improbable, since it is extraordinary and therefore at least suspect. Axiom of the ordinary: our conditions and environment must have existed everywhere, for they are really so natural.

To disrespect the masses is moral; to honor them, lawful.