Augustine Birrell Men Quotations

Given Pounds and five years, and an ordinary man can in the ordinary course, without any undue haste or putting any pressure upon his taste, surround himself with books, all in his own language, and thence forward have at least one place in the world.

Few men can afford to be angry.

The man who has a library of his own collection is able to contemplate himself objectively, and is justified in believing in his own existence.

There are no habits of man more alien to the doctrine of the Communist than those of the collector

Any ordinary man can...surround himself with two thousand books...and thenceforward have at least one place in the world in which it is possible to be happy.