Patrick White Quotes

لا يساوره الشك في أن وطنه سيدمره بدلاً من التيقن من أنه سيغيره الى ما يتمناه

Human relationships are vast as deserts: they demand all daring, she seemed to suggest.

In the last couple of years I've been doing this sort of thing constantly, often repeating myself, becoming an avoidable Doomsday bore. But anything of importance — like a garden, a human relationship, a child, a religious faith, even the most convinced brand of atheism has to be worked on constantly if it is to survive.

I can only stick my neck out and offer my humble beliefs. If I become an outsider by doing so, this won't be a great hardship as I've been that as far back as I can remember — something strange and unacceptable in the eyes of those who believe they see straight. At least it's given me courage of a kind, which I'd like every Australian to acquire.

There's nothing so inhuman as a human being.

Loonies speak their own language, like educated people.

Have you met my housekeeper?’ Dorothy was palpitating. ‘In your old room. Practically as you left it. One has to respect what other people are — essentially — even when they try to destroy themselves. But I offer you your room — your latchkey — financial security — if only you will realize that badly heated Paris apartment is — so — so pernicious.’ Dorothy de Lascabanes had flown to her mother’s bedside to pronounce an ultimatum, a brutal one if necessary, and here she was, her head literally so heavy she had to support it with her hands. ‘I don’t know, Mummy!’ she muttered from behind her wrists. ‘Think it over, darling. Nothing can be decided in — you know I would never let you want — and for that reason.’ They had lapsed. Both of them. The princess might have been sunk in a lake of mercury, but Mrs Hunter was probably born of that substance.

I expect we are all jealous of the women in their past, but how much less exciting if the women had not kept the bed warm.

كل أمرِ عذب ولين من السهل أن يُجرح

Voss could always, if necessary, fail to understand. But wounds will wince, especially in the salt air. He was smiling and screwing up his eyes at the great theatre of light and water. Some pitied him. Some despised him for his funny appearance of a foreigner. None, he realized with a tremor of anger, was conscious of his strength. Mediocre, animal men never do guess at the power of rock or fire, until the last moment before those elements reduce them to - nothing. This, the palest, the most transparent of words, yet comes closest to being complete.

The worst thing about love between human beings is that when you are prepared to love them they don't want it; when they do its you who can't bear the idea.

Such was the texture of her marble.

[In a description of Laura Trevelyan.]

هذا الثمل وذلك المجنون وذلك الخائن هم موجودون في كل مكان وزمان

Life doesn't end on the kitchen floor while there is the will to dance.

I've lost interest in the theatre because you can't get what you want ever. I used to think it would be wonderful to see what you had written come to life. Here in Australia it's very hard to get an adequate performance because of the state of the theatre; but even if you have the best actors in the world it's never what you visualised. One can't say all one wants to say, one can't convey it.