In so far as it takes effect at all, pacifist propaganda can only be effective against those countries where a certain amount of freedom of speech is still permitted; in other words it is helpful to totalitarianism.

High sentiments always win in the end. The leaders who offer blood, toil, tears and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic.

If there really is such a thing as turning in one's grave, Shakespeare must get a lot of exercise.

Prolonged, indiscriminate reviewing of books is a quite exceptionally thankless, irritating and exhausting job. It not only involves praising trash but constantly inventing reactions towards books about which one has no spontaneous feeling whatever.

There are some situations from which one can only escape by acting like a devil or a lunatic.

I would sooner be a foreigner in Spain than in most countries. How easy it is to make friends in Spain!

There are some things only intellectuals are crazy enough to believe.