„Nicht wer etwas gesagt hat, sondern was er gesagt hat, ist wichtig...
Die Erfahrung sey unsere Wünschelrute“

„Geschichte wissenschaftlich behandeln wollen ist im letzte Grund immer
etwas Widerspruchsvolles ... Natur soll man wissenschaftlich traktieren, über
Geschichte soll man dichten. Alles andere sind unreine Lösungen.“

„A state of skepticism and suspense may amuse a few inquisitive minds.
But the practice of superstition is so congenial to the multitude that,
if they are forcibly awakened, they will regret the loss of their pleasing vision.
Their love of the marvellous and supernatural, their curiosity with regard to
future events, and their strong propensity to extend their hopes and fears
beyond the limits of the visible world, were the principal causes which favoured
the establishment of Polytheism. So urgent on the vulgar is the necessity of
believing, that the fall of any system of mythology will most probably be
succeeded by the introduction of some other mode of superstition.“