Drunkenness is temporary suicide: the happiness that it brings is merely negative a momentary cessation of unhappiness.

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.

Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.

An Honest politician will not be tolerated by a democracy unless he is very stupid ... because only a very stupid man can honestly share the prejudices of more than half the nation.

If there were in the world today any large number of people who desired their own happiness more than they desired the unhappiness of others, we could have a paradise in a few years.

We have in fact, two kinds of morality, side by side: one which we preach, but do not practice, and another which we practice, but seldom preach.

The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd.

Cruel men believe in a cruel god and use their belief to excuse their cruelty. Only kindly men believe in a kindly god, and they would be kindly in any case.

The Reverence of God is grace to act right.

Good children's literature appeals not only to the child in the adult but to the adult in the child.

Sometimes when you find something you didn't really realize you were looking for, you just don't know how to react.

The Holy Ghost is not a Sceptic, and He has not inscribed in our hearts uncertain opinions, but, rather, affirmations of the strongest sorts.

I think of a writer as a river: you reflect what passes before you.

The English laws punish vice; the Chinese laws do more, they reward virtue.

The secret is to moisturize the face. I've been doing that since I was 17 years old. (on looking young)

I say to my breath once again, little breath come from in front of me, go away behind me, row me quietly now, as far as you can, for I am an abyss that I am trying to cross.

It's just not an image I had ever put out about myself - the bedroom synth guy. The whole thing seemed ridiculous.