Making the City Of Joy gave me the best political education of my life. It became a wrestling match between an Englishman who had gradually ceased to be a Marxist and a culture that was becoming more Marxist by the day.

Gradually it occurred to me that we spend a great deal of life asleep and that dreams are little narratives little stories. I thought 'Who's choreographing this stuff?'

So the thing I realized rather gradually - I must say starting about 20 years ago now that we know about computers and things - there's a possibility of a more general basis for rules to describe nature.

Gradually I became aware of details: a company of French soldiers was marching through the streets of the town. They broke formation and went in single file along the communication trench leading to the front line. Another group followed them.

I think the Mother is gradually revealing itself to me and taking over. But it is not the Mother alone. It is the Mother and the Father the male and the female sort of gradually having their marriage.

Why do people talk of the horrors of old age? It's great. I feel like a fine old car with the parts gradually wearing out but I'm not complaining ... Those who find growing old terrible are people who haven't done what they wanted with their lives.

Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.

Old age comes on suddenly and not gradually as is thought.