Everything is a dangerous drug except reality which is unendurable.

The English masses are lovable: they are kind, decent, tolerant, practical and not stupid. The tragedy is that they are too many of them, and that they are aimless, having outgrown the servile functions for which they were encouraged to multiply. One day these huge crowds will have to seize power because there will be nothing else for them to do, and yet they neither demand power nor are ready to make use of it; they will learn only to be bored in a new way.

Hate is the consequence of fear; we fear something before we hate; a child who fears noises becomes the man who hates them.

Like water, we are truest to our nature in repose.

As repressed sadists are supposed to become policemen or butchers so those with an irrational fear of life become publishers.

There are many who dare not kill themselves for fear of what the neighbours will say.

Hemingway is great in that alone of living writers he has saturated his work with the memory of physical pleasure, with sunshine and salt water, with food, wine and making love and the remorse which is the shadow of that sun.