Wit is the salt of conversation, not the food, and few things in the world are more wearying than a sarcastic attitude towards life.

the audience is the controlling factor in the actor's life. It is practically infallible, since there is no appeal from its verdict. It is a little like a supreme court composed of irresponsible minors.

It is bad enough to be bad, but to be bad in bad taste is unpardonable.

real letter-writing ... is founded on a need as old and as young as humanity itself, the need that one human being has of another.

It is impossible to withhold education from the receptive mind, as it is impossible to force it upon the unreasoning.

For my part, the good novel of character is the novel I can always pick up; but the good novel of incident is the novel I can never lay down.

The vanity of man revolts from the serene indifference of the cat.