It is not only species of animal that die out, but whole species of feeling. And if you are wise you will never pity the past for what it did not kno… - John Fowles

If you are wise, you will never pity the past for what it did not know, but pity yourself for what it did.

There are many reasons why novelists write but they all have one thing in common a need to create an alternative world.

And I envy you. You have the one thing that matters. You have all your discoveries before you.

I do not defend Conchis’ decision at the execution, but I defend the reality of the dilemma. God and freedom are totally anti-pathetic concepts; and men believe in their imaginary gods most often because they are afraid to believe in the other thing. I am old enough to realise now that they do sometimes with good reason. True freedom lies between each two, never in one alone, and therefore is never absolute freedom.