Punctuality is the thief of adventure.

Constructive destruction is one of the most delightful employments in the world, and in civilized life the opportunities for it are only too rare.

Scots are born exiles, and Scotland the perfect country to be exiled from. Do not imagine that I am running down Scotland. Far from it. ... No, what I mean is that Scotland's beauties, though undeniable, are obvious ones, easy to carry in the heart, easy even to describe to the benighted members of less fortunate races. Lakes, islands and mountains, heather and rowan, broad straths and narrow glens - these are jewels easily worn in the memory.

Punctuality is the thief of adventure.

The importance of the ordinary citizen is very greatly underestimated - not so much by those in authority as by the ordinary citizen himself.

In childhood the daylight always fails too soon - except when there are going to be fireworks.

swans ... always look as though they'd just been reading their own fan-mail.