There are many things that are unbelievable. Especially before breakfast, is it not? That is what one of your classics says. Six impossible things before breakfast.

Words are such uncertain things, they so often sound well but mean the opposite of what one thinks they do.

The things young women read nowadays and profess to enjoy positively frighten me.

Once I went professionally to an archaeological expedition-and I learnt something there. In the course of an excavation, when something comes up out of the ground, everything is cleared away very carefully all around it. You take away the loose earth, and you scrape here and there with a knife until finally your object is there, all alone, ready to be drawn and photographed with no extraneous matter confusing it. That is what I have been seeking to do-clear away the extraneous matter so that we can see the truth-the naked shining truth.

I'm sure you have a theme: the theme of your life. You can embellish it or desecrate it, but it's your theme, and as long as you follow it, you will experience harmony and peace of mind.

Mr. Jesmond made a peculiar noise rather like a hen who has decided to lay an egg and then thought better of it.

I've always noticed that if you speak the truth in a rather silly way nobody believes you.