Quotes from Dorothy L. Sayers

you were speaking just now with a good deal of feeling about Treble Bob—you are not, yourself, by any chance, a ringer?" "Well," said Wimsey, "I used at one time to pull quite a pretty rope. But whether, at this time of day——

It is impossible for human nature to believe that money is not there.

I am Michael, the sword of God. The edge is turned toward thee: not for those sins whereof thou dost repent, lust, greed, wrath, avarice, the faults of flesh sloughed off with the flesh, but that which feeds the soul, the sin that is so much a part of thee thou know'st it not for sin.

I say, Parker, these are funny cases, ain't they? Every line of inquiry seems to peter out. It's awfully exciting up to a point, you know, and then nothing comes of it. It's like rivers getting lost in the sand.

It will come back to you," cried the Rector, feverishly. "It will come back. Half an hour with the handbells——

Not in the least, Mrs. Venables. Nothing would please me more than to ring bells all day and all night. I am not tired at all. I really don't need rest. I would far rather ring bells. The only thing that worries me is whether I shall be able to get through the peal without making stupid mistakes.

They are doing for their pupils the work which the pupils themselves ought to do. For the sole true end of education is simply this: to teach men how to learn for themselves; and whatever instruction fails to do this is effort spent in vain.

In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair. It is the accomplice of the other sins and their worst punishment. It is the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die.

But, looking round at the world as it is, it seems to me (I speak as a fool) that youth is all out for dogma, and that if boys and girls grow up imagining that Christianity has no dogma to give them, they'll give themselves over to political dogma or economic dogma in its crudest and most intransigent form.

But He, unshaken, with exultant voice cried, It is finished! and gave up the ghost. Finished--when men had thought it scarce begun.

I go; but feed my sheep; for Me the Sabbath at the long week's close--for you the task; for you the tongues of fire. Thus shalt thou know the Master Architect, who plans so well, He may depart and leave the work to others.

Then making the noise usually written "Tut-tut," he

They passed through the billiard-room, where the Colonel was making a sensational break, and into the small conservatory which led from it. Lord

Advertise, or go under.

And heresy is, as I have tried to show, largely the expression of opinion of the untutored average man, trying to grapple with the problems of the universe at the point where they begin to interfere with daily life and thought.

to tell the reader what the detective has observed and deduced – but to make the observations and deductions turn out to be incorrect, thus leading up to a carefully manufactured surprise packet in the last chapter.

Of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane : My nephew is nervous, fastidious and inhibited; my niece by marriage obstinate, energetic and independent. They are both possessed of a truly diabolical pride. Paul Austin Delagardie

I'm determined never to be a parent. Modern manners and the break-up of the fine old traditions have simply ruined the business. I shall devote my life and fortune to the endowment of research on the best method of producin' human beings decorously and unobtrusively from eggs. All parental responsibility to devolve upon the incubator.

The whole question is extraordinarily complicated because of the gulf that has grown up between art on the one hand and on the other hand both the Church and secular society, so that the artists tend to be out of touch with the common man, while the latter, whether Christian or not, has only a very fumbling critical judgment to rely on.

I could not attempt to 'kindle the younger generation with the Gospel,' the most I could do would be to suggest to them that the Christian Faith is a logical explanation of the Universe well worth their attention, and neither an irrational myth nor a system of ethics which will stand by itself when the dogmatic foundation has been removed from beneath it.

Exactly. He is the Most Unlikely Person, and that is why Sherlock Holmes would suspect him at once.

In my day one had to have either brains or beauty to get on -- preferably both. Nowadays nothing seems to be required but a total lack of figure.

Wonderful what a little nip'll do in case of need, and the less you're used to it the more good it does you.

Ah! childhood! You're living the happiest days of your life, young man. You won't believe me, but you are.