Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms.

To let the brain work without sufficient material is like racing an engine. It racks itself to pieces.

Sir Walter, with his 61 years of life, although he never wrote a novel until he was over 40, had, fortunately for the world, a longer working career than most of his brethren.

My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of existence. These little problems help me to do so.

Anything seems commonplace, once explained.

Draw your chair up, and hand me my violin, for the only problem which we have still to solve is how to while away these bleak autumnal evenings.

The whole force of the State is at your back if you should need it. I'm afraid that all the queen's horses and all the queen's men cannot avail in this matter.