...all cynicism masks a failure to cope.

If you want to be true to life, start lying about it

We all want things we can't have. Being a decent human being is accepting that.

Duty is but a pot. It holds whatever is put in it, from the greatest evil to the greatest good.

Do you know that every great thing in the history of art and every beautiful thing in life is actually what you call nasty or has been caused by feelings that you would call nasty? By passion, by love, by hatred, by truth. Do you know that?

Though I like the various forms of football in the world, I don't think they begin to compare with these two great Anglo-Saxon ball games for sophisticated elegance and symbolism. Baseball and cricket are beautiful and highly stylized medieval war substitutes, chess made flesh, a mixture of proud chivalry and base - in both senses - greed. With football we are back to the monotonous clashing armor of the brontosaurus.

Ask me to marry you." "Will you marry me?" "No.