I should like to bury something precious in every place where I’ve been happy and then, when I was old and ugly and miserable, I could come back and dig it up and remember.

What do you suppose Lord Sebastian wanted? A hair brush for his Teddy-bear; it had to have very stiff bristles, not, Lord Sebastian said, to brush him with, but to threaten him with a spanking when he was sulky. He bought a very nice one with an ivory back and he’s having Aloysius engraved on it—that’s the bear’s name.

You could only appreciate the beauty of the world by trying to paint it.

For God’s sake, why bring God into everything?

—He’s got a wonderful will to live, hasn’t he?

—Would you put it like that? I should say a great fear of death.

—Is there a difference?

—Oh dear, yes. He doesn’t derive any strength from his fear, you know. It’s wearing him out.

It’s so banal saying you have not read the book of the moment, if you haven’t.