Every man at the bottom of his heart believes that he is a born detective.
The book trade is a spiritual barometer of a nations well-being.
A fool tries to look different: a clever man looks the same and is different.
The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.
Civilization is a conspiracy. Modern life is the silent compact of comfortable folk to keep up pretences.
That is the supreme value of history. The study of it is the best guarantee against repeating it.