Atheism was natural enough, but heresy seemed strange. For, surely, if one could believe anything, one could believe everything.

I can think of few things more disastrous than starting a new correspondence with any one. Letters are a burden indeed ... they seem often the last straw that breaks the back ... you should see the piles of those that I must answer that litter and weight my writing table.

Words move, turning over like tumbling clowns; like certain books and like fleas, they possess activity. All men equally have the right to say, 'This word shall bear this meaning,' and see if they can get it across. It is a sporting game, which all can play, only all cannot win.

Publishers of course have you altogether in their grip; if they say you must do a thing you have jolly well got to do it.

It was a book to kill time for those who liked it better dead.

God very seldom succeeds. He has very nearly everything against him, of course.

You should always believe what you read in the newspapers, for that makes them more interesting.