Every American, to the last man, lays claim to a "sense" of humor and guards it as his most significant spiritual trait, yet rejects humor as a contaminating element wherever found. America is a nation of comics and comedians; nevertheless, humor has no stature and is accepted only after the death of the perpetrator.

The world likes humor, but it treats it patronizingly. It decorates its serious artists with laurel, and its wags with Brussels sprouts.

Habitually creative people are prepared to be lucky.

The critic leaves at curtain fall To find, in starting to review it, He scarcely saw the play at all For starting to review it.

The trouble with the profit system has always been that it was highly unprofitable to most people.

A writer should tend to lift people up, not lower them down.

In order to read one must sit down, usually indoors. I am restless and would rather sail a boat than crack a book. I've never had a very lively literary curiosity, and it has sometimes seemed to me that I am not really a literary fellow at all. Except that I write for a living.