Men do not come to know one another easily, even with the best will and the best purpose. And then ill-will comes in and distorts everything.
In the world the point is, not to know men, but at any given moment to be cleverer than the man who stands before you. You can prove this at every fair and from every charlatan.
Not everywhere where there is water, are there frogs; but where you have frogs, there you will find water.
In the formation of species Nature gets, as it were, into a cul-de-sac; she cannot make her way through, and is disinclined to turn back. Hence the stubbornness of national character.
Many a man knocks about on the wall with his hammer, and believes that he hits the right nail on the head every time.
Those who oppose intellectual truths do but stir up the fire, and the cinders fly about and burn what they had else not touched.
Those from whom we are always learning are rightly called our masters; but not every one who teaches us deserves this title.
It is with you as with the sea: the most varied names are given to what is in the end only salt water.
It is said that vain self-praise stinks in the nostrils. That may be so; but for the kind of smell which comes from unjust blame by others the public has no nose at all.
There are problematical natures which are equal to no position in which they find themselves, and which no position satisfies. This it is that causes that hideous conflict which wastes life and deprives it of all pleasure.