There are some people who want to throw their arms round you simply because it is Christmas; there are other people who want to strangle you simply because it is Christmas.

Every man of genius is considerably helped by being dead.

I sometimes suspect that half our difficulties are imaginary and that if we kept quiet about them they would disappear.

Knowledge is power only if man knows what facts not to bother with.

[History is] the story of the magnificent rear-guard action fought during several thousand years by dogma against curiosity.

One of the greatest joys known to man is to take a flight into ignorance in search of knowledge.

Friendship will not stand the strain of very much good advice for very long.