190 Quotes by T.H. White

The only way I can keep clear of force is by justice. Far from being willing to execute his enemies, a real king must be willing to execute his friends.

It is generally the trustful and optimistic people who can afford to retreat. The loveless and faithless ones are compelled by their pessimism to attack.

It is only the people who are lacking, or bad, or inferior, who have to be good at things.

Mordred and Agravaine thought Arthur hypocritical—as all decent men must be, if you assume that decency can’t exist.

The increasingly cynical court thought Arthur, "hypocritical, as all decent men must be if you assume decency cannot exist.

Kings can only use their best tools.

It is the bad people who need to have principles to restrain them.

He was feeling a new heresy coming over him, possibly as a result of the spirits, and it had something to do about the celibacy of the clergy. He had one already about the shape of his tonsure and the usual one about the date of Easter, as well as his of Pelagian business-but the latest was beginning to make him feel as if the presence of children was unnecessary.

Now, in their love, which was stronger, there were the seeds of hatred and fear and confusion growing at the same time: for love can exist with hatred, each preying on the other, and this is what gives it its greatest fury.