In the final exam in the Chaucer course we were asked why he used certain verbal devices, certain adjectives, why he had certain characters behave in certain ways. And I wrote, 'I don't think Chaucer had any idea why he did any of these things. That isn't the way people write.' I believe this as strongly now as I did then. Most of what is best in writing isn't done deliberately.

You cannot take credit for your talents. It is what you do with them that counts.

Progo,' Meg asked. 'You memorized the names of all the stars - how many are there?' How many? Great heavens, earthling. I haven't the faintest idea.' But you said your last assignment was to memorize the names of all of them.' I did. All the stars in all the galaxies. And that's a great many.' But how many?' What difference does it make? I know their names. I don't know how many there are. It's their names that matter.

If our language is watered down, then mankind becomes less human, and less free.

To marry is the biggest risk in human relations that a person can take.

anything that stretches the mind is a help to the potential author.

You've got to accept the fact that you are basically not teaching a subject, you are teaching children