The closer and more confidential our relationship with someone, the less we are entitled to ask about what we are not voluntarily told.

The Englishman wants to be recognized as a gentleman, or as some other suitable species of human being; the American wants to be considered a good guy.

We are neurotically haunted today by the imminence, and by the ignominy, of failure. We know at how frightening a cost one succeeds: to fail is something too awful to think about.

With intellectuals, moral thought is often less a tonic that quickens ethical action than a narcotic that deadens it.

In general, American social life constitutes an evasion of talking to people. Most Americans don't, in any vital sense, get together; they only do things together.

The fascinating necessarily tends to call a certain attention to itself; the interesting need not. An evening spent with a fascinating person leaves vivid memories; one spent with interesting people has merely a sort of bouquet.

One must never judge the writer by the man; but one may fairly judge the man by the writer.