Augustine Birrell Quotations

It is the Mass the matters.

A great library easily begets affection, which may deepen into love.

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.

Milton calls the university A stony-hearted step-mother.

Few men can afford to be angry.

History is a pageant and not a philosophy.

Is this true or only clever?

That great dust-heap called 'history'.

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.

It is pleasant to be admitted into the birth-chamber of a great idea destined to be translated into action.