Many writers who choose to be active in the world lose not virtue but time, and that stillness without which literature cannot be made.

Liberal comes from the Latin liberalis, which means pertaining to a free man. In politics, to be liberal is to want to extend democracy through change and reform. One can see why that word had to be erased from our political lexicon.

History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.

I was brought up to believe that what is out-of-doors should stay there and not be encouraged in any way.

The four most beautiful words in our common language: I told you so.

The more money an American accumulates, the less interesting he becomes.

Novels, except as aids to masturbation, play no part in contemporary life.