“In art [the Chinese] aim at being exquisite, and in life at being reasonable.”

“Alas, being a New Zealander is such an exquisite dilemma.”

“A work of art is not about something, it is something, in the same way that life is not something that has meaning, only significance. And art's intentions are entirely innocent – no comment, no opinion, no attempted coercion. All – all! – art attempts to do is to quicken the sense of life, to make vivid for the reader the mysterious predicament of being alive for a brief span in this exquisite and terrible world.”

“Being involved in sciences or various arts is not a reason for neglecting the causes of social problems.”

“Every genuine work of art has as much reason for being as the earth and the sun.”

“Aim at being loved without being admired.”

“The aim is to balance the terror of being alive with the wonder of being alive.”

“We cannot reason ourselves out of our basic irrationality. All we can do is learn the art of being irrational in a reasonable way.”

“Man, being reasonable, must get drunk; the best of life is but intoxication.”

“It is a terrible thing to be happy! How pleased we are with it! How all-sufficient we think it! How, being in possession of the false aim of life, happiness, we forget the true aim, duty!”