Through this atmosphere of torrid splendor moved wan beings as richly upholstered as the furniture, beings without definite pursuits or permanent relations, who drifted on a languid tide of curiosity... Somewhere behind them, in the background of their lives there was doubtless a real past, yet they had no more real existence than the poet's shades in limbo.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they have so many more things to talk about.

It seems stupid to have discovered America only to make it into a copy of another country.

...and wondering where he had read that clever liars give details, but that the cleverest do not.

Yes, you have been away a very long time.' 'Oh, centuries and centuries; so long,' she said, 'that I'm sure I'm dead and buried and this dear old place is heaven.

What a shame it is for a nation to be developing without a sense of beauty, and eating bananas for breakfast.

It was easy enough to despise the world, but decidedly difficult to find any other habitable region.