Of course men play roles, but women play roles too, blanker ones. They have, in the play of life, fewer good lines.

Bereavement is a darkness impenetrable to the imagination of the unbereaved

emotions really exist at the bottom of the personality or at the top. in the middle they are acted. this is why all the world is a stage.

Every persisting marriage is based on fear', said Peregrine. 'Fear is fundamental, you dig down in human nature and what's at the bottom? Mean spiteful cruel self-regarding fear, whether it makes you to put the foot in it or whether it makes you to cower.

... when caught unawares I usually tell the truth, and what's duller than that?

You cannot have both truth and what you call civilisation.

Being in love is an exhausting business.