He stood staring into the wood for a minute, then said: "What is it about the English countryside — why is the beauty so much more than visual? Why does it touch one so?" He sounded faintly sad. Perhaps he finds beauty saddening — I do myself sometimes. Once when I was quite little I asked father why this was and he explained that it was due to our knowledge of beauty's evanescence, which reminds us that we ourselves shall die. Then he said I was probably too young to understand him; but I understood perfectly.

... for I know I shall be interrupted-- I shall want to be, really, because life is too exciting to sit still for long.

Father says hot water can be as stimulating as an alcoholic drink and though I never come by one...I can well believe it.

Even a broken heart doesn't warrant a waste of good paper.

I have really sinned. I am going to pause now, and sit here on the mound repenting in deepest shame.

When I read a book, I put in all the imagination I can, so that it is almost like writing the book as well as reading it - or rather, it is like living it. It makes reading so much more exciting, but I don't suppose many people try to do it.

It's a beautiful sight to see good dancers doing simple steps. It's a painful sight to see beginners doing complicated patterns.