Decades have a delusive edge to them. They are not, of course, really periods at all, except as any other ten years may be. But we, looking at them, are caught by the different name each bears, and give them different attributes, and tie labels on them, as if they were flowers in a border.

Decades have a delusive edge to them. They are not, of course, really periods at all, except as any other ten years may be. But we, looking at them, are caught by the different name each bears, and give them different attributes, and tie labels on them, as if they were flowers in a border.

Human passions against eternal laws -- that is the everlasting conflict.

Age has extremely little to do with anything that matters. The difference between one age and another is, as a rule, enormously exaggerated.

Never approach a friend's wife or girlfriend with mischief as your goal... unless she's really attractive.

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.

the position of women, that sad and well-nigh universal blot on civilizations, was never far from her mind.