Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul; Unbelief, in denying them.

“because to influence a person is to give one's own soul.” 

By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight, we all quote. In fact, it is as difficult to appropriate the thoughts of others as it is to invent.

Every man alone is sincere. At the entrance of a second person, hypocrisy begins. We parry and fend the approach of our fellow-man by compliments, by gossip, by amusements, by affairs. We cover up our thought from him under a hundred folds.

Do not say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders, so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.

Beware when the great God lets loose a thinker on this planet.

Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.

When we have new perception, we shall gladly disburden the memory of its hoarded treasures as old rubbish.

“The bright dawn flooded the room, and swept the fantastic shadows into dusky corners, where they lay shuddering.” 

“I will not bare my soul to their shallow prying eyes. My heart shall never be put under their microscope.” 

“We can forgive a man for making a useful thing as long as he does not admire it. The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.

“Veil after veil of thin dusky gauze is lifted, and by degrees the forms and colours of things are restored to them, and we watch the dawn remaking the world in its antique pattern.” 

The Gods we worship write their names on our faces; be sure of that.

The ancestor of every action is a thought.

Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.

He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us.

“Conscience makes egotists of us all.” 

I do not wish more external goods, — neither possessions, nor honors, nor powers, nor persons. The gain is apparent; the tax is certain.

“The only horrible thing in the world is ennui.” 

“As for believing things, I can believe anything, provided that it is quite incredible.” 

“I can stand brute force, but brute reason is quite unbearable. There is something unfair about it's use. It is hitting below the intellect.” 

“She knew nothing but she had everything he had lost.” 

“It was not intended as a compliment. It was a confession. Now that I have made it, something seems to have gone out of me. Perhaps one should never put one's worship into words.”