In essence the Renaissance was simply the green end of one of civilization's hardest winters.

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.

I just think of things as beautiful or not. Can't you understand? I don't think of good or bad. Just of beautiful or ugly. I think a lot of nice things are ugly and a lot of nasty things are beautiful.

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

You put up with your voice and speak with it because you haven't any choice. But it's what you say that counts.

Men love war because it allows them to look serious. Because it is the one thing that stops women laughing at them.

The best wines take the longest to mature.