There are three sources of belief: reason, custom, inspiration.

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.

Curiosity is only vanity. We usually only want to know something so that we can talk about it.

The last thing one discovers in composing a work is what to put first.

If we do not know ourselves to be full of pride, ambition, lust, weakness, misery, and injustice, we are indeed blind. And if, knowing this, we do not desire deliverance, what can we say of a man...?

Dull minds are never either intuitive or mathematical.

We must keep our thought secret, and judge everything by it, while talking like the people.

Lust is the source of all our actions, and humanity.

To make light of philosophy is to be a true philosopher.

Δύο υπερβολές : ν' αποκλείουμε το Λόγο, και να μη δεχόμαστε παρά μόνο το Λόγο.

No religion except ours has taught that man is born in sin none of the philosophical sects has admitted it none therefore has spoken the truth

A shower is the perfect place for crying. No one can hear you if you do it quietly, into a wash-cloth, with the water running.

The heart bowed down by weight of woe to weakest hope will cling.

It is hard to convince a high-school student that he will encounter a lot of problems more difficult than those of algebra and geometry.

Children are arrows in a quiver, and they are to be trained as missionaries and shot at the Devil.

If you haven't saved, your child may have to work. But do what you can to NEVER take out student or parent loans.

Perhaps you're not finished with your story, and who knows if you'll ever finish it or not. Honestly, it's not that important.

History is only gossip.

Dreiser wanted to write the next great American novel, and his desperation pervades [ Sister Carrie ] like an unsavory pit stain.

We only get better by pushing ourselves.

You can't raise a happy, more resilient kid if you're not a happy, more resilient adult.