Penelope Fitzgerald Quotes

To every separate person a thing is what he thinks it is – in other words, not a thing, but a think.

Helping other people is a drug so dangerous that there is no cure short of total abstention.

It is interesting to note that everyone has a different take on the world, a different opinion, and given the same inputs have completely different outputs.

If they don't depend on true evidence, scientists are no better than gossips.

The body, then, has a mind of its own. It must follow, then, that the Mind has a body of its own, even if it’s like nothing that we can see around us, or have ever seen.

On the whole, I think you should write biographies of those you admire and respect, and novels about human beings who you think are sadly mistaken.

A word of advice. If, as a young man, student, you are tormented by a desire for women, it is best to get out into the fresh air as much as possible.

An unjust punishment is never forgotten.

Morality is seldom a safe guide for human conduct.

A good book is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life, and as such it must surely be a necessary commodity.

Behind their dark glass, the mad own nothing.

Experiences aren't given to us to be 'got over,' otherwise they would hardly be experiences.

Duty is what no-one else will do at the moment.

Surely you have to succeed, if you give everything you have.' 'I don't see why. Everyone has to give everything they have eventually. They have to die. Dying can't be called a success.

Opportunity, after all, is only another word for temptation.

What’s to become of us? We can’t go on like this.”“Yes, we can go on like this, ” said Cesare. “We can go on exactly like this for the rest of our lives.

But time given to wishing for what can't be is not only spent, but wasted, and for all that we waste we shall be accountable.