“Develop a little self-righteousness. A lot of that is an ugly thing, God knows, but a little applied over all your scruples is an absolute necessity! It is to the soul what a good sun-block is to the skin during the heat of summer.”

“For God's sake, Larry, grow up. Develop a little self-righteousness. A lot of that is an ugly thing, God knows, but a little spread over all your scruples is an absolute necessity!”

“While a little faith may bring your souls to heaven, a lot of faith--clinging to God despite your circumstances--will bring heaven to your soul”

“That, that right there. That's it, that feeling, that moment of breathlessness, that little surge in your chest, the prickle of heat along your skin and the low hot roll of your belly, that's what being alive is all about.”

“I know people, I know towns, farms, hills and rivers and rocks, I know how the sun at sunset in autumn falls on the side of a certain ploughland in the hills; but what is the sense of giving a boundary to all that, of giving it a name and ceasing to love where the name ceases to apply? What is love of one's country, is it hate of one's uncountry? Then it's not a good thing. Is it simply self-love? That's a good thing, but one mustn't make a virtue of it, or a profession...”

“You know, the only thing worse than a self-righteous virgin is a self-righteous fake virgin.”