John Galsworthy

“ He looked at the soldier's clear-cut head with its well-opened eyes, the tiny crow's-feet at their corners, the conventional moustache; he envied the certainty of the convictions lying under that well-parted hair.
"I would rather we were men first and then Englishmen," he muttered; "I think it's all a sort of national illusion, and I can't stand illusions."
"If you come to that," said the soldier, "the world lives by illusions. I mean, if you look at history, you'll see that the creation of illusions has always been her business, don't you know."
This Shelton was unable to deny. ”

“ The soldier smiled.
"By your own admission," he said, "you'll only be creating a fresh set of illusions."
"Yes," answered Shelton, "but at all events they'll be the honest necessities of the present."
The pupils of the soldier's eyes contracted; he evidently felt the conversation slipping into generalities; he answered:
"I can't see how thinking small beer of ourselves is going to do us any good!"
An "At Home!"
Shelton felt in danger of being thought unpractical in giving vent to the remark:
"One must trust one's reason; I never can persuade myself that I believe in what I don't." ”

“ A tall, imposing person stood under a Japanese print holding the palm of one hand outspread; his unwieldy trunk and thin legs wobbled in concert to his ingratiating voice.
"War," he was saying, "is not necessary. War is not necessary. I hope I make myself clear. War is not necessary; it depends on nationality, but nationality is not necessary." He inclined his head to one side, "Why do we have nationality? Let us do away with boundaries—let us have the warfare of commerce. If I see France looking at Brighton"—he laid his head upon one side, and beamed at Shelton,—"what do I do? ”