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

Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs.

Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear.

Many are the wonders of the world, and none so wonderful as man.

Everything that deceives does so by casting a spell.

Nothing is so easy as to deceive one’s self; for what we wish, that we readily believe.

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

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

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

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

To ensure the adoration of a theorem for any length of time, faith is not enough; a police force is needed as well.

Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.

Any serious attempt to do anything worthwhile is ritualistic.