I loved buildings that had grown silently with the centuries, catching the best of each generation while time curbed the artist's pride and the philistine's vulgarity and repaired the clumsiness of the dull workman.

— Evelyn Waugh

Instruction would be wasted on me. Just to give me the form and I'll sign on the dotted line.

— Evelyn Waugh

I suppose it's something to do with her black-brained religion not to take care of the body.

— Evelyn Waugh

It [being very rich] used to worry me, and I thought it's wrong to have so many beautiful things when others had nothing. Now I realize that it is possible for the rich to sin by coveting the privileges of the poor. The poor have always been the favorites of God and his saints, but I believe that is one of the special achievements of Grace to sanctify the whole of life, riches included.

— Evelyn Waugh

It is easy, retrospectively, to endow one's youth with a false precocity or a false innocence; to tamper with the dates marking one's stature on the edge of the door.

— Evelyn Waugh

It (modernization) is just another jungle closing in.

— Evelyn Waugh

It was a small tortoise with Julia’s initials set in diamonds in the living shell, and this slightly obscene object, now slipping impotently on the polished boards, now striding across the card-table, now lumbering over a rug, now withdrawn at a touch, now stretching its neck and swaying its withered, antediluvian head, became a memorable part of the evening, one of those needle hooks of experience which catch the attention when larger matters are at stake.

— Evelyn Waugh

It was not her way to make a conspicuous entry into anyone’s life, but towards the end of that week Sebastian said rather sourly: “You and mummy seem very thick,” and I realized that in fact I was being drawn into intimacy by swift, imperceptible stages, for she was impatient of any human relationship that fell short of it.

— Evelyn Waugh

I used to know Brian Howard well -- a dazzling young man to my innocent eyes. In later life he became very dangerous -- constantly attacking people with his fists in public places -- so I kept clear of him. He was consumptive, but the immediate cause of his death was a broken heart.

— Evelyn Waugh

I’ve always been bad. Probably I shall be bad again, punished again. But the worse I am, the more I need God. I can’t shut myself out from His mercy.

— Evelyn Waugh