The doctrine that all men are, in any sense, or have been, at any time, free and equal, is an utterly baseless fiction.

I took thought, and invented what I conceived to be the appropriate title of 'agnostic'.

Teach a man to read and write, and you have put into his hands the great keys of the wisdom-box.

Surely it must be plain that an ingenious man could speculate without end on both sides, and find analogies for all his dreams. Nor does it help me to tell me that the aspirations of mankind

In scientific work, those who refuse to go beyond fact rarely get as far as fact.

There is no alleviation for the sufferings of mankind except veracity of thought and of action, and the resolute facing of the world as it is when the garment of make-believe by which pious hands have hidden its uglier features is stripped off.

Science is nothing but trained and organized common sense differing from the latter only as a veteran may differ from a raw recruit: and its methods differ from those of common sense only as far as the guardsman's cut and thrust differ from the manner in which a savage wields his club.