He doesn't know which is worse, a past he can't regain or a present that will destroy him if he looks at it too clearly. Then there's the future. Sheer vertigo.

Romance takes place in the middle distance. Romance is looking in at yourself through a window clouded with dew. Romance means leaving things out: where life grunts and shuffles, romance only sighs.

Paper isn’t important. It’s the words on them that are important.

The characters [of The Tempest] have always been favorites of mine. It is one of his meditations on art - what it does.

I tend to feel if people say they're going to do something, they will, if given the chance.

Faith is only a word, embroidered.

If social stability goes pear-shaped, you have a choice between anarchy and dictatorship. Most people will opt for more security, even if they have to give up some personal freedom.