Iris Murdoch

Between saying and doing, many a pair of shoes is worn out.

All art is a struggle to be, in a particular sort of way, virtuous.

I think being a woman is like being Irish. Everyone says you're important and nice, but you take second place all the same.

It's easy to have faith in yourself and have discipline when you're a winner, when you're number one. What you got to have is faith and discipline when you're not a winner.

I think that, in almost all human beings, there is buried a profound tribal instinct that makes us very susceptible to being aroused to patriotic fervour.

Hatred is a very underestimated emotion.