1,162 Quotes by Iris Murdoch

I had deluded myself throughout by the idea of reviving a secret love which did not exist at all.

And I thought, rolling my head to and fro between my hands in anguish, oh if only it could have worked somehow for us two.

If there is any fruitless mental torment which is greater than that of jealousy it is perhaps remorse. Even the pains of loss may be less searching; and often of course these agonies combine, as now they did for me. I say remorse not repentance. I doubt if I have ever experienced repentance in a pure form; perhaps it does not exist in a pure form. Remorse contains guilt, but helpless hopeless guilt which knows of no cure for the painful bite.

We are all potentially demons to each other, but some close relationships are saved from this fate.

Decide what you want and go for it, Fred, it's just a matter of will power!" I remember you saying that to me more than once.'I did not recall saying this nor did it sound like anything which anyone would say more than once, assuming he had ever had the misfortune to say it at all, but I was glad that Freddie had such rosy memories.

But I had come to where I had never been before, the blessed point of sufficient desperation.

The madcap English weather which had been putting on a passable imitation of June now decided to play March.

Everyone seemed to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed except me.

Who is one's first love? Who indeed.