Great Throughts Treasury

"I am convinced that the world is not a mere bog in which men and women trample themselves in the mire and die. Something magnificent is taking place here amid the cruelties and tragedies, and the supreme challenge to intelligence is that of making the noblest and best on our curious heritage prevail."

"All the lessons of history in four sentences: Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad with power. The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small. The bee fertilizes the flower it robs. When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."

"When it’s dark enough, you can see the stars."

"[When asked if he could summarize the lessons of history] 1. Whom the gods destroy, they first make mad with power. 2. The mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceedingly small. 3. The bee fertilizes the flower it robs. 4. When it is dark enough, you can see all the stars."

"History is chaos and every attempt to interpret it otherwise is an illusion."