. . . the devil never dies - H. Rider Haggard

when men seek a god . . . they make one like themselves, only larger, uglier, and more evil . . . Also, often they say that this god was once their king, since at the bottom all worship their ancestors who gave them life, if they worship anything at all, and often, too, because they gave them life, they think that they must have been devils. Great ancestors were the first gods . . . and if they had not been evil they would never have been great. Look at Chaka, the Lion of the Zulus. He is called great because he was so wicked and cruel, and so it was and is with others if they succeed, though, if they fail, men speak otherwise of them.

It seems that in this world we never can be content . . . we only think that we should be if things were otherwise than they are.

. . . too great holiness often thwarts itself and ends in trouble for the unholy flesh.