The pianoforte is the most important of all musical instruments; its invention was to music what the invention of printing was to poetry.

Suppose the world were only one of God's jokes, would you work any the less to make it a good joke instead of a bad one?

The play was a great success, but audience was a dismal failure.

Don't order any black things. Rejoice in his memory; and be radiant: leave grief to the children. Wear violet and purple. Be patient with the poor people who will snivel: they don't know; and they think they will live for ever, which makes death a division instead of a bond.

Few of us have vitality enough to make any of our instincts imperious.

I must ... warn my readers that my attacks are directed against themselves, not against my stage figures.

God help England if she had no Scots to think for her.