“I did not know that history is like a blood stain that keeps on showing on the wall no matter how many new owners take possession, no matter how many times we pint over it.”

“The magic of sex is it's acquisition without the burden of possession. No matter how many women you take home, there's never a storage problem.”

“There are lots of things we never understand, no matter how many years we put on, no matter how much experience we accumulate.”

“We are so used to releasing words, we don't know what to do with them if they stay. No matter how many times we let them go, they come back. The words that matter always stay.”

“Progo,' Meg asked. 'You memorized the names of all the stars - how many are there?'How many? Great heavens, earthling. I haven't the faintest idea.'But you said your last assignment was to memorize the names of all of them.'I did. All the stars in all the galaxies. And that's a great many.'But how many?'What difference does it make? I know their names. I don't know how many there are. It's their names that matter.”

“It should not matter, but it does. I want to know how many hours of the night are gone and how many remain and that there is no good reason for my wanting to know does not stop the wanting.”