Shakespeare might have met Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the white streets of London, or seen the serving-men of rival houses bite their thumbs at each other in the open square; but Hamlet came out of his soul, and Romeo out of his passion.

They get up early, because they have so much to do, and go to bed early, because they have so little to think about.

The bright dawn flooded the room, and swept the fantastic shadows into dusky corners, where they lay shuddering.

But what world says that [I'm wicked]? It can only be the next world. This world and I are on excellent terms.

There should be a law that no ordinary newspaper should be allowed to write about art. The harm they do by their foolish and random writing it would be impossible to overestimate--not to the artist but to the public.... Without them we would judge a man simply by his work; but at present the newspapers are trying hard to induce the public to judge a sculptor, for instance, never by his statues but by the way he treats his wife; a painter by the amount of his income and a poet by the colour of his necktie.

I want my food dead. Not sick, not dying, dead.

Love will fly if held too lightly Love will die if held too tightly . . .