Originality

The modernist thirst for originality makes the mediocre artist believe that the secret of originality consists simply in being different.

—Nicolás Gómez Dávila

Toleration

To tolerate does not mean to forget that what we tolerate does not deserve anything more.

—Nicolás Gómez Dávila

Relative truths

Truths are not relative. What is relative are opinions about truth.

—Nicolás Gómez Dávila

Taste

‘Taste is relative’ is the excuse adopted by those eras that have bad taste.

—Nicolás Gómez Dávila

Intellectuals and civilized men

The intellectual irritates the civilized man, just as the adolescent irritates the adult, not because of the audacity of his bright ideas but because of the triviality of his arrogance.

—Nicolás Gómez Dávila

(Hat tip to ‘John M.’, a commenter at John C. Wright’s blog.)