I came to think of myself, not as a dance and chaos of molecules, but as a brief and minute portion of that majestic process

It came to me that reform should begin at home, and since that day I have not had time to remake the world.

Progress is the domination of chaos by mind and purpose, of matter by form and will. It need not be continuous to be real.

So I should say that civilizations begin with religion and stoicism: they end with scepticism and unbelief, and the undisciplined pursuit of individual pleasure. A civilization is born stoic and dies epicurean.

To speak ill of others is a dishonest way of praising ourselves; let us be above such transparent egotism. If you can't say good and encouraging things, say nothing. Nothing is often a good thing to do, and always a clever thing to say.

Can a civilization hold together if man abandons his faith in God?

Communism is the opiate of the people.