It sometimes takes days, even weeks, before a dog's nerves tire. In the case of terriers it can run into months.

You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that.

Democracy is itself, a religious faith. For some it comes close to being the only formal religion they have.

Delay is natural to a writer. He is like a surfer-he bides his time, waits for the perfect wave on which to ride in. Delay is instinctive with him. He waits for the surge (of emotion? of strength? of courage?) that will carry him along.

Anyone who writes down to children is simply wasting his time. You have to write up, not down.

Prejudice is a great time saver. You can form opinions without having to get the facts.

A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom- he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold.