Work, the what's-its-name of the thingummy and the thing-um-a-bob of the what d'you-call-it.

I believe the only way a writer can keep himself up to the mark is by examining each story quite coldly before he starts writing it and asking himself if it is all right as a story. I mean, once you go saying to yourself, 'This is a pretty weak plot as it stands, but I'm such a hell of a writer that my magic touch will make it okay,' you're sunk. If they aren't in interesting situations, characters can't be major characters, not even if you have the rest of the troop talk their heads off about them.

There is only one cure for gray hair. It was invented by a Frenchman. It is called the guillotine.

Just another proof, of course, of what I often say - it takes all sorts to make a world.

One of the drawbacks to life is that it contains moments when one is compelled to tell the truth.

One prefers, of course, on all occasions to be stainless and above reproach, but, failing that, the next best thing is unquestionably to have got rid of the body.

He had the look of one who had drunk the cup of life and found a dead beetle at the bottom.