Absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power.

First there is a time when we believe everything, then for a little while we believe with discrimination, then we believe nothing whatever, and then we believe everything again - and, moreover, give reasons why we believe.

At 18 our convictions are hills from which we look; At 45 they are caves in which we hide.

I feel about airplanes the way I feel about diets. It seems to me they are wonderful things for other people to go on.

Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.

Life is nothing but a competition to be the criminal rather than the victim.

If you would be known, and not know, vegetate in a village; If you would know, and not be known, live in a city.

Our great democracies still tend to think that a stupid man is more likely to be honest than a clever man.

It is easier to exclude harmful passions than to rule them, and to deny them admittance than to control them after they have been admitted.

Because things are the way they are, things will not stay the way they are.