It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance, for our consideration and application of these things, and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of its process.

A tradition is kept alive only by something being added to it.

The advantage, the luxury, as well as the torment and responsibility of the novelist, is that there is no limit to what he may attempt as an executant - no limit to his possible experiments, efforts, discoveries, successes.

Every good story is of course both a picture and an idea, and the more they are interfused the better.

In museums and palaces we are alternate radicals and conservatives.

Don’t underestimate the value of irony—it is extremely valuable.

Writing is not primarily escape, but use.