“Humans are not proud of their ancestors, and rarely invite them round to dinner.”

Appendix, pp. 213-214.
The Causes of Evolution (1932)
Context: Wright's theory certainly supports the view taken in this book that the evolution in large random-mating populations, which is recorded by palaeontology, is not representative of evolution in general, and perhaps gives a false impression of the events occurring in less numerous species. It is a striking fact that none of the extinct species, which, from the abundance of their fossil remains, are well known to us, appear to have been in our own ancestral line. Our ancestors were mostly rather rare creatures. " Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth."

2006

Bittersweet, Chapter 2 at p. 36

Source: Going Bovine (2009), p. 428

Clary and Jace, pg. 313
Source: The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones (2007)
Context: "Well, when I was five, I wanted my mother to let me go around and around inside the dryer with the clothes," Clary said. "The difference is, she didn't let me."
"Probably because going around and around inside a dryer can be fatal," Jace pointed out, "whereas pasta is rarely fatal. Unless Isabelle makes it."

This is Your Brain on Music (2006)
Context: Music may be the activity that prepared our pre-human ancestors for speech communication and for the very cognitive, representational flexibility necessary to become humans.

God doesn't believe in atheists (2002)