'Let each of us examine his thoughts; he will find them wholly concerned with the past or the future. We almost never think of the present, and if we do think of it, it is only to see what light it throws on our plans for the future. The present is never our end. The past and the present are our means, the future alone our end. Thus we never actually live, but hope to live, and since we are always planning how to be happy, it is inevitable that it should never be so.'

'It is wrong that anyone should become attached to me even though they do so gladly and of their own accord. I should be misleading those in whom I aroused such a desire, for I am no one's goal nor have I the means of satisfying anyone. Am I not ready to die? Then the object of their attachment will die. Thus, just as I should be culpable if I made someone believe a falsehood, even though I used gentle means of persuasion, and it gave them pleasure to believe it and me pleasure that they should: in the same way I am culpable if I make anyone love me. And, if I attract people to become attached to me, I must warn those who might be ready to consent to the lie that they must not believe it, whatever benefit I might derive from it: and likewise that they must not become attached to me, because they must devote their lives and efforts to pleasing God or seeking him. (Mlle Pèrier has the original of this note.)'

'you better try being stupid, insteada smart'

In 'I Will Survive', perhaps in other disco, the string section actually makes a musical comment on the main song during the break. If the break featured one of the instruments from the band, it would seem like it was still in the vernacular. With strings instead, it wins more inexpensive poignancy.

I don't know if I've ever paid attention to 'God Save the Queen' all the way through: I have only just now heard the part that elevates it, 'there's no future in England's dreaming'.

'lower middle class still carryin bus passes'

500 - Tom Ewing's new writing project.

'The child's taunt, "My old cat will probably be dancing with" - if it really is a taunt and not the involuntarily friendly image of child, cat, and mouse dancing, the two animals on their hind legs - once appropriated by the poem, no longer has the last word.'

'The whole thing comes to depend thus on the quality of bewilderment characteristic of one's creature'