“Central to everything I am and believe and have written is my astonishment, naiv…” — George Steiner

My father loved poetry and music. But deep in himself he thought teaching the finest thing a person could do.

I'm sorry, I'm absolutely convinced that there is at the moment no realistic prospect for very much hope in human affairs.

I have students who are now in chairs in five continents. They invite me to their inaugurals. A tremendous reward.

I find so much writing colourless, small in its means, unwilling to take stylistic risks. Often it goes wrong; I am not the one to judge. Sometimes, I hope, it goes right.