... even in houses commonly held to be 'booky' one finds, nine times out of ten, not a library but a book-dump.

The turnings of life seldon show a sign-post; or rather, though the sign is always there, it is usually placed some distance back, like the notices that give warning of a bad hill or a level railway-crossing.

Little as she was addicted to solitude, there had come to be moments when it seemed a welcome escape from the empty noises of her life.

It is less mortifying to believe one's self unpopular than insignificant, and vanity prefers to assume that indifference is a latent form of unfriendliness.

I can't love you unless I give you up.

there are lots of ways of answering a letter - and writing doesn't happen to be mine.

Silence may be as variously shaded as speech.