For fear of the newspapers politicians are dull, and at last they are too dull even for the newspapers. The speeches in our time are more careful and elaborate, because they are meant to be read, and not to be heard. And exactly because they are more careful and elaborate, they are not so likely to be worthy of a careful and elaborate report. They are not interesting enough. So the moral cowardice of modern politicians has, after all, some punishment attached to it by the silent anger of heaven. Precisely because our political speeches are meant to be reported, they are not worth reporting. Precisely because they are carefully designed to be read, nobody reads them.

It is not only possible to say a great deal in praise of play; it is really possible to say the highest things in praise of it. It might reasonably be maintain…

An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.

The pure modernist is merely a snob; he cannot bear to be a month behind the fashion.

'You will never be mayor, because you say dumb and stupid things!'

You know, I have written about this and described it in many different settings, and I did misspeak the other day. This has been a very long campaign.

''Lord Chancellor, did I deliver the speech well ?' 'Very well indeed, sir,' was the enthusiastic answer. 'I am glad of that,' replied the king; 'for there was…