My dear fellow, my whole life is moved by the principle that the one thing which is more important than peace is music. It is because I believe that I am poor.

I was not sure I wanted to issue orders to life; I rather liked the Greek notion of allowing Chance to take a formative hand in my affairs.

Love affairs are for emotional sprinters; the pleasures of love are for the emotional marathoners.

No one needs a word processor if he has an efficient secretary.

Tristan and Isolde were lucky to die when they did. They'd have been sick of all that rubbish in a year.

All mothers think their children are oaks, but the world never lacks for cabbages.

Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never tire of it. If we do tire of it, if we lose our curiosity, we have lost something of infinite value, because to a high degree it is curiosity that gives meaning and savour to life.