Egypt was the mother of magicians.

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

I shall curse you with book and bell and candle.

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

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.

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

Any serious attempt to do anything worthwhile is ritualistic.

Everything that deceives does so by casting a spell.

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

Nothing worth knowing can be understood with the mind.

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

Superstitions are habits rather than beliefs.

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