The artist is of no importance. Only what he creates is important, since there is nothing new to be said. Shakespeare, Balzac, Homer have all written about the same things, and if they had lived one thousand or two thousand years longer, the publishers wouldn't have needed anyone since.

And sure enough, even waiting will end...if you can just wait long enough.

The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means.

By artist I mean of course everyone who has tried to create something which was not here before him, with no other tools and material than the uncommer-ciable ones of the human spirit.

Most men are a little better than their circumstances give them a chance to be.

I'm inclined to think that a military background wouldn't hurt anyone.

Like a fellow running from or toward a gun ain't got time to worry whether the word for what he is doing is courage or cowardice.