[…] the thousand little ties of sympathy and mutual hopes and fears, comfortings and encouragings.

He was forever diving into dustbins or swooping on to the ground for cigarette ends.

[…] when any thing was supposed to be upon the tapis worth knowing or listening to, it was the rule to leave the door, not absolutely shut, but somewhat ajar […]

The scale and ferocity of violence produced by uncivil wars have fascinated, shocked, and sickened the whole world. Words cannot easily describe their cruelty, and their attempted theorisation seems at first glance to be a self-indulgent act of blandiloquence.