Falsehood is a perennial spring.

We are long before we are convinced that happiness is never to be found, and each believes it possessed by others, to keep alive the hope of obtaining it for himself.

Men would be angels, angels would be gods.

In my opinion, there is no aspect of reality beyond the reach of the human mind.

The finite is annihilated in the presence of the infinite, and becomes a pure nothing. So our spirit before God, so our justice before divine justice.

Upon the subjects of which I have treated, I have spoken as I have thought. I may be wrong in regard to any or all of them; but, holding it a sound maxim that it is better only sometimes to be right than at all times to be wrong, so soon as I discover my opinions to be erroneous, I shall be ready to renounce them.

Only the ideas that we really live have any value.

He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; for time is the greatest innovator.

Regrets are the natural property of grey hairs.

All men by nature desire knowledge.

Absolute liberty is absence of restraint; responsibility is restraint; therefore, the ideally free individual is responsible to himself.

I never give advice unless someone asks me for it. One thing I’ve learned, and possibly the only advice I have to give, is to not be that person giving out unsolicited advice based on your own personal experience.

When I look upon seamen, men of science and philosophers, man is the wisest of all beings; when I look upon priests and prophets nothing is as contemptible as man.

Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.

I learned a long time ago that reality was much weirder than anyone’s imagination.

A wise ruler ought never to keep faith when by doing so it would be against his interests.

But we try to pretend, you see, that the external world exists altogether independently of us.

So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not done, either cannot, or ought not to be done.

A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.

Observe constantly that all things take place by change, and accustom thyself to consider that the nature of the Universe loves nothing so much as to change the things which are, and to make new things like them.

Forty is the old age of youth, fifty is the youth of old age.

Man the individual consoles himself for his passing with the thought of the offspring or the works which he leaves behind.

Yesterday we obeyed kings and bent our necks before emperors. But today we kneel only to truth, follow only beauty, and obey only love.

I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn’t, than live as if there isn’t and to die to find out that there is.

Dying is one of the few things that can be done as easily lying down.

The sum of wisdom is that time is never lost that is devoted to work.

Many people would sooner die than think; in fact, they do so.

The unnatural, that too is natural.

I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes.

Men do not learn much from the lessons of history and that is the most important of all the lessons of history.

I’m married. My wife, Stella – a beautiful woman. She’s brought a lot of peace to my life, a lot of wisdom.

Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise.

Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself.

I don’t see myself as a philosopher. That’s awfully boring.

The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity.

The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.

Depend upon it that if a man talks of his misfortunes there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him; for where there is nothing but pure misery there never is any recourse to the mention of it.

The wise are wise only because they love. The fool are fools only because they think they can understand love.

If an elderly but distinguished scientist says that something is possible, he is almost certainly right; but if he says that it is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.

If you can look into the seeds of time, and say which grain will grow and which will not, speak then unto me.

Tis but a part we see, and not a whole.

Lord keep us all from sin. Teach us how to walk circumspectly; enable us to guard our minds against error of doctrine, our hearts against wrong feelings, and our lives against evil actions.

A professor must have a theory as a dog must have fleas.

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.

The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.

One always dies too soon or too late. And yet, life is there, finished: the line is drawn, and it must all be added up. You are nothing other than your life.

Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.

Magnanimity in politics is not seldom the truest wisdom; and a great empire and little minds go ill together.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.

Non-violence is not a garment to be put on and off at will. Its seat is in the heart, and it must be an inseparable part of our being.

Older and wiser voices can help you find the right path, if you are only willing to listen.

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.

The art of being a slave is to rule one’s master.

I want to do a certain thing in the world, and I am going to do it with unwavering concentration. I am concerning myself with only one essential thing: to set man free. I desire to free him from all cages, from all fears, and not to found religions, new sects, nor to establish new theories and new philosophies.

Beware of the man who does not return your blow: he neither forgives you nor allows you to forgive yourself.

Ordinary morality is innate in my view.

Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.

Man and animals are in reality vehicles and conduits of food, tombs of animals, hostels of Death, coverings that consume, deriving life by the death of others.

Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.