Artificial glamor-false eyelashes, that sort of thing-usually is put on to hide a vacuum. The most beautiful face can only look vacuous if it masks an empty head.

A diplomat these days is nothing but a head waiter who's allowed to sit down occasionally.

I was irrevocably betrothed to laughter, the sound of which has always seemed to me the most civilised music in the world.

To be gentle, tolerant, wise and reasonable requires a goodly portion of toughness.

People are annoyed with the Chinese for not respecting more human rights. But with a population that size it's very difficult to have the same attitude to human rights.

It's wrong to flog a man. It's against his being a man.

Sometimes I wish I could just fall in love. Then, at least you know who your opponent is.