It seems to me the sense of splendour has justified itself by what it has produced.

The worst of it is that so much human nature is used up in the process.

If we're all the raw stuff of the cosmic effects, one would rather be the fire that tempers a sword than the fish that dyes a purple cloak.

And a society like ours wastes such good material in producing its little patch of purple! Look at a boy like Ned Silverton--he's really too good to be used to refurbish anybody's social shabbiness.

There's a lad just setting out to discover the universe: isn't it a pity he should end by finding it in Mrs.Fisher's drawing-room ?" "Ned is a dear boy, and I hope he will keep his illusions long enough to write some nice poetry about them; but do you think it is only in society that he is likely to lose them ?" Selden answered her with a shrug.