“Throughout history, more has been lost to over-eager zealots than to mediocre slackers. A slacker leaves well enough alone. A zealot, a true patriot or company man, will keep pushing and pushing and pushing until the situation is screwed up beyond all recognition. If not properly motivated and constrained, a zealot is the most destructive force of all.”

“DeChevue entered the room. His long coat, which was draped across his shoulders, flowed behind him like a cape. An absurd effect, Edwin thought. If clothes make the man, Edwin was moved to wonder, then what has this horrible affection made of this individual?”

“For all the clever jokes that could be made here involving "mind" and "matter" there is one sure and certain variation you can take with you to the grave: "In the grand scheme of things you don't matter very much, and the laws of physics don't mind at all.”

“Come now, Mr. Windsor. Even with your limited knowledge and frame of reference, you must recognize that diplomacy is merely a cover for the most savage acts of mankind.”

“He is called Excelsior. In Latin the name means "ever higher". This impossible man does not know this. To be fair, there are a lot of words he doesn't know.”

“But the concepts of the physical sciences were ill-adapted to a world filled with acting men and women. The psychologic, the economic, these were matters for which no equation could reliably provide truth. For today's statistical relationship was sure to be turned on it's head tomorrow by a change of preference or fancy. Electrons can be excited, but they do not panic. Observe as many favorable conditions for a riot as you may like, better yet set all of them, and still a riot may not happen. And you will probably never know why your plan of domestic unrest was foiled." (From How to Succeed in Evil)”

“Edwin is prepared to believe that a glass exists. And further, that this glass holds liquid.”