Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but read more

Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.

Civilization is unbearable, but it is less unbearable at the top.

Civilization is unbearable, but it is less unbearable at the top.

K is for KENGHIS KHAN. _He_ was a very _nice_ person. History has no record of him. There is a read more

K is for KENGHIS KHAN. _He_ was a very _nice_ person. History has no record of him. There is a moral in that, somewhere.

Civilized ages inherit the human nature which was victorious in barbarous ages, and that nature is, in many respects, not read more

Civilized ages inherit the human nature which was victorious in barbarous ages, and that nature is, in many respects, not at all suited to civilized circumstances.

One of the surprising privileges of intellectuals is that they are free to be scandalously asinine without harming their reputations.

One of the surprising privileges of intellectuals is that they are free to be scandalously asinine without harming their reputations.

Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three read more

Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.

Man only plays when in the full meaning of the word he is a man, and he is only completely read more

Man only plays when in the full meaning of the word he is a man, and he is only completely a man when he plays.

Whatever begins to be tranquil is gobbled up by something not tranquil.

Whatever begins to be tranquil is gobbled up by something not tranquil.

The presence of a body of well-instructed men, who have not to labor for their daily bread, is important to read more

The presence of a body of well-instructed men, who have not to labor for their daily bread, is important to a degree which cannot be overestimated; as all high intellectual work is carried on by them, and on such work material progress of all kinds mainly depends, not to mention other and higher advantages.