"The only good copies are those which..." - Quote by Francois De La Rochefoucauld

“The world more often rewards the appearances of merit than merit itself.”

“There are few occasions when we should make a bad bargain by giving up the good on condition that no ill was said of us.”

“On why I don't trust democracy without extremely powerful systems of accountability and recall What seems to be generosity is often only disguised ambition - which despises small interests to gain great ones.”

“Every time an artist dies, part of the vision of mankind passes with him.”

“There is not one thing that's Beatle music. How can they talk about it like that? What is Beatle music? Walrus or Penny Lane? Which? It's too diverse: I Want to Hold Your Hand or Revolution Number Nine?”

“After you finish a book, you know, you're dead. But no one knows you're dead. All they see is the irresponsibility that comes in after the terrible responsibility of writing.”

“I have never had time for the idea of searching. Whenever I wanted to express something, I did so without thinking of the past or the future.”

“Writing books isn't a drastic departure from writing for the stage.”

“Freedom in art, freedom in society, this is the double goal towards which all consistent and logical minds must strive.”