Spring came late, but when it came it was hand-in-hand with summer, and almost at once everything was baking and warm, and in the villages the people danced every night on concrete dancing floors under the plane trees.

always either on a peak of happiness or drowning in black waters of despair they loved or they loathed, they lived in a world of superlatives

One's emotions are intensified in Paris—one can be more happy and also more unhappy here than in any other place. But it is always a positive source of joy to live here, and there is nobody so miserable as a Parisian in exile from his town.

Americans relate all effort, all work, and all of life itself to the dollar. Their talk is of nothing but dollars.

If I had a girl I should say to her, 'Marry for love if you can, it won't last, but it is a very interesting experience and makes a good beginning in life. Later on, when you marry for money, for heaven's sake let it be big money. There are no other possible reasons for marrying at all.

Surely a King who loves pleasure is less dangerous than one who loves glory?

And Left-wing people are always sad because they mind dreadfully about their causes, and the causes are always going so badly.