Iris Murdoch

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

"Art is the final cunning of the human soul which would rather do anything than face the gods."

"Writing is like getting married. One should never commit oneself until one is amazed at one's luck."

"We can only learn to love by loving."

"Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real."

"Writing is like getting married. One should never commit oneself until one is amazed at one's luck."