George Orwell

There is no test of literary merit except survival, which is itself an index to majority opinion.

George Orwell

There is only one way to make money at writing, and that is to marry a publisher’s daughter.

George Orwell

There were sins that were too subtle to be explained, and there were others that were too terrible to be clearly mentioned. For example, there was sex, which was always smouldering just under the surface and which suddenly blew up into a tremendous row when I was about twelve.

George Orwell

They clichés will construct your sentences for you – even think your thoughts for you, to a certain extent – and at need they will perform the important service of partially concealing your meaning even from yourself.

George Orwell

Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you.

George Orwell

To accept an unorthodoxy is always to inherit unresolved contradictions

George Orwell

To accept civilization as it is practically means accepting decay.

George Orwell

To an ordinary human being, love means nothing if it does not mean loving some people more than others.

George Orwell

To exchange one orthodoxy for another is not necessarily an advance. The enemy is the gramophone mind, whether or not one agrees with the record that is being played at the moment.

George Orwell

To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.

George Orwell