When you became a student at Oxford you realized both your own mortality, in the flow of this near-millennium of students, and also the small particle of immortality that attaches to you when you begin to belong to an immortal place.

My ambition is to one day shed my wardrobe and figure out how to look like Gilles Bensimon - or a famous stylist - who travels with a Birkin bag and minimal accoutrement and somehow looks cool.

I'm always jealous of people in the fashion business, especially women. I always feel like they look so light and chic. They figure out how to wear the minimal sort of outfit, whether it be the Prada uniform or a T-shirt with perfect-fitting Levi's and Birkenstocks.

He often envied people who hadn't read his favourite books. They had such happiness before them.

It had been a perfect nap - the sort a man runs into now and again by chance.

People tend to wear a suit without a tie but it's a strange look, there's something missing. Either you wear a blazer and slacks, or you wear a suit and tie. It is challenging today to dress in an appropriate way.

Her strength was in the integrity of her actions she never compromised what she believed she ought to do.

When I was younger I always had a dark navy, black tie and everybody would look at me like it was odd, but now it is de rigueur. I'm sure it's my input.

When you're my age, you'll see that it is wiser to make your own decisions than let time make decisions for you.

Like everyone I slipped into adulthood like a delinquent through the back door.