Just as the historian can teach no real history until he has cured his readers of the romantic delusion that the greatness of a queen consists in her being a pretty woman and having her head cut off, so the playwright of the first order can do nothing with his audience until he has cured them of looking at the stage through the keyhole, and sniffing round the theatre as prurient people sniff round the divorce court.

Make money and the whole nation will conspire to call you a gentleman.

I'm sick of all the reasonable people: they see all the reasons for doing nothing

Instead of Otello being an Italian opera written in the style of Shakespeare, Othello is a play written by Shakespeare in the style of Italian opera.

Patriotism is a word which always commemorates a robbery.

Any belief worth having must survive doubt

Well, upon my soul! You are not ashamed to stand there and confess yourself a disgusting drunkard.