Fear? If I have gained anything by damning myself, it is that I no longer have anything to fear.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.
Love can do much, but duty more.
The superior man is distressed by the limitations of his ability he is not distressed by the fact that men do not recognize the ability that he has.
Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.
It seems to never occur to fools that merit and good fortune are closely united.
Either you think, or else others have to think for you and take power from you, pervert and discipline your natural tastes, civilize and sterilize you.
Though men are apt to flatter and exalt themselves with their great achievements, yet these are, in truth, very often owing not so much to design as chance.
False facts are highly injurious to the progress of science, for they often endure long but false views, if supported by some evidence, do little harm, for every one takes a salutary pleasure in proving their falseness.
Therefore, the good of man must be the end of the science of politics.
Friendship is an arrangement by which we undertake to exchange small favors for big ones.
The attempt to combine wisdom and power has only rarely been successful and then only for a short while.
An excellent man he has no enemies and none of his friends like him.
The modern mind is in complete disarray. Knowledge has stretched itself to the point where neither the world nor our intelligence can find any foot-hold. It is a fact that we are suffering from nihilism.
Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress but I repeat myself.
Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.
Conscience is God present in man.
Until the men of action clear out the talkers we who have social consciences are at the mercy of those who have none.
Man is so made that by continually telling him he is a fool he believes it, and by continually telling it to himself he makes himself believe it.
One may smile, and smile, be a villain.
To misname things is to contribute to the world's miseries.
The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.
The relation of superior to inferior excludes good manners.
I found one day in school a boy of medium size ill-treating a smaller boy. I expostulated, but he replied: 'The bigs hit me, so I hit the babies; that's fair.' In these words he epitomized the history of the human race.
People tend to believe the bad rather than the good.
Of men who reach my tale of years Who least has cause to make his moan? He who has learnt to banish fears, Who lives and dies unknown.
Pleasant it is, when over a great sea the winds trouble the waters, to gaze from shore upon another's great tribulation: not because any man's troubles are a delectable joy, but because to perceive from what ills you are free yourself is pleasant.
I want death to find me planting my cabbages, but careless of death, and still more of my unfinished garden.
Man is a rational animal who always loses his temper when he is called upon to act in accordance with the dictates of reason.
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