The kingdom of music is not the kingdom of this world.

Long books, when read, are usually overpraised, because the reader wishes to convince others and himself that he has not wasted his time.

A work of art is never finished. It is merely abandoned.

Growing old is an emotion which comes over us at almost any age; I had it myself between the ages of 25 and 30.

I have only got down on to paper, really, three types of people: the person I think I am, the people who irritate me, and the people I'd like to be.

But after all, what have we to do with taverns? Real menace belongs to the drawing-room.

I have always found writing pleasant and don't understand what people mean by 'throes of creation.'