quotes by Patrick Hamilton

"Too much thought is bad for the soul, for art, and for crime. It is also a sign of middle age."
— Patrick Hamilton

"The meal was breakfast: the subject, utility clothing. 'As for the stuff they're turning out for men nowadays,' said Mr Thwaites bitterly, 'I wouldn't give it to my Valet.'

Mr Thwaites' valet was quite an old friend. An unearthly, flitting presence, whose shape, character, age, and appearance could only be dimly conceived, he had been turning up every now and again ever since Miss Roach had known Mr Thwaites. Mostly he was summoned into being as one from whom all second-rate, shoddy, or inferior articles were withheld. But sometimes things were good enough for Mr Thwaites' valet, but would not do for Mr Thwaites. "
— Patrick Hamilton (The Slaves of Solitude)

"But after that she was a flop. Why? Largely because in spite of her intelligence and quick wits she couldn't act for nuts (he had ascertained that); but principally because she was spoiled and lazy, and drank too much--because she had expected success without having to work for it, and now drank and was lazy in a sort of furious annoyance at the fact that success was not to be had that way--a vicious circle of arrogance, and laziness and drink. In other words she had never got out of being the bad-tempered, haughty, tyrannical child she was at the beginning. She lacked the imagination and generosity to do so. And that brought him to the present Netta he had in front of him--the one who was making use of him in order to be near a man who might be of use to her. For the moment he was sorry for her, and rather happy. "
— Patrick Hamilton (Hangover Square)

"It was not so much what Vicki did that night: it was what she said. It was not so much her behaviour: it was her vocabulary!"
— Patrick Hamilton (The Slaves of Solitude)