A writer needs three things, experience, observation, and imagination, any two of which, at times any one of which, can supply the lack of the others."

The end of wisdom is to dream high enough to lose the dream in the seeking of it.

"If a writer has to rob his mother, he will not hesitate; the "Ode on a Grecian Urn" is worth any number of old ladies."

All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection. So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible.

"People need trouble -- a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy."