Iris Murdoch

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

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

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

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

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

"We can only learn to love by loving."