It is a funny thing about life, if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it: if you utterly decline to make do with what you get, then somehow or other you are very likely to get what you want.

You cannot imagine the kindness I’ve received at the hands of perfect strangers.

From the earliest times the old have rubbed it into the young that they are wiser than they, and before the young had discovered what nonsense this was they were old too, and it profited them to carry on the imposture.

Poor Henry [James], he’s spending eternity wandering round and round a stately park and the fence is just too high for him to peep over and they’re having tea just too far away for him to hear what the countess is saying.

The tragedy of love is indifference.

I forget who it was that recommended men for their soul’s good to do each day two things they disliked . . . it is a precept that I have followed scrupulously; for every day I have got up and I have gone to bed.

The writer is more concerned to know than to judge.

It has been said that good prose should resemble the conversation of a well-bred man.

Words have weight, sound and appearance; it is only by considering these that you can write a sentence that is good to look at and good to listen to.

A woman will always sacrifice herself if you give her the opportunity. It is her favorite form of self- indulgence.