I believe that history might be, and ought to be, taught in a new fashion so as to make the meaning of it as a process of evolution intelligible to the young.

The improver of natural knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority, as such. For him, skepticism is the highest of duties; blind faith the one unpardonable sin.

My business is to teach my aspirations to confirm themselves to fact, not to try and make facts harmonize with my aspirations.

Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. It is the first lesson that ought to be learned and however early a man's training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.

Extinguished theologians lie about the cradle of every science, as strangled snakes beside that of Hercules

In science, as in art, and, as I believe, in every other sphere of human activity, there may be wisdom in a multitude of counsellors, but it is only in one or two of them.

For every man the world is as fresh as it was at the first day, and as full of untold novelties for him who has the eyes to see them.