The most beautiful emotion we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of all true art and science.

Everything that deceives does so by casting a spell.

The believer in magic and miracles reflects on how to impose a law on nature—and, in brief, the religious cult is the outcome of this reflection.

A miracle entails a degree of irrationality—not because it shocks reason, but because it makes no appeal to it.

The Mughal’s nature is such that they demand miracles, but if a miracle were to be performed by some upright follower of our religion, they would say that it had been brought about by magic and sorcery. They would strike him down with spears or would stone him to death.

Man is always a wizard to man, and the social world is at first magical.

There is not so contemptible a plant or animal that does not confound the most enlarged understanding.

The more enlightened our houses are, the more their walls ooze ghosts.

Once something becomes discernible, or understandable, we no longer need to repeat it. We can destroy it.

In the past, men created witches; now they create mental patients.

Appearances often are deceiving.

The fear of the Lord is true wisdom, and he who hath it not can in no way penetrate the true secrets of magic.

Nothing is so easy to fake as the inner vision.