“I am fully conscious of the honor done me by the Philosophical Institution of Edinburgh in asking me to lecture; but the condition that my subject should be non-controversial makes it impossible for me to accept the invitation. I never speak in public except on violently controversial subjects in a violently controversial way.”
Letter to the Hull Conference of Crematorium Authorities, 1926“A dinner! How horrible! I am to be made the pretext for killing all those wretched animals and birds and fish! Thank you for nothing. Blood sacrifices are not in my line.”
Letter to the Southwick Cricket Club, 1938“Too old. Loathe cricket. No connection with Southwick; don’t even know where it is.”