The great point about money was to convert it as quickly as possible into something you could use or enjoy.

You cannot sell a blemished apple in the supermarket, but you can sell a tasteless one provided it is shiny, smooth, even, uniform and bright.

To deceive gracefully is the very essence of social life. One must start by deceiving oneself, and make a lifelong practice of deceiving others; if one does it well enough, in time one might even become an artist, the greatest illusionists of all.

One of the stock Sydney jokes is of the census-taker who enquires: 'How many children have you, ma'am?' 'Two living and three in Melbourne.'

The pioneer kills what he loves.

How much does one imagine, how much observe? One can no more separate those functions than divide light from air, or wetness from water.

Only man is not content to leave things as they are but must always be changing them, and when he has done so, is seldom satisfied with the result.