M. Beerbohm on friendship:

"Old friends are generally the refuge of unsociable persons."

On royalty and government:

"There are some persons who would fain abolish altogether the institution of royalty. Our royal family is a rather absurd institution, no doubt. But then, humanity itself is rather absurd. A State can never be more than a kindergarten, at best, and he who would fain rule men according to principles of right reason will fare no better than did poor dear Plato at Syracuse. Put the dream of doctrinaire into practice, and it will soon turn to some such nightmare as modern France or Modern America. Indeed, fallacies and anomalies are the basis of all good government."