Men willingly believe what they wish.

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.

There are times when reality becomes too complex for oral communication. But legend gives it a form by which it pervades the whole world.

Appearances often are deceiving.

Curses are like young chickens, they always come home to roost.

To blow and to swallow at the same time is not easy; I cannot at the same time be here and also there.

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.

Egypt was the mother of magicians.

Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs.

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

I shall curse you with book and bell and candle.

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

In the society of men, the truth resides now less in what things are than in what they are not. Our social realities are so ugly if seen in the light of exiled truth, and beauty is almost no longer possible if it is not a lie.