His is such an easy, simple way to increase one's stature and enlarge one's personality.

From E.B. White: Notes and Comment by Author by Israel Shenker, The New York Times (11 July 1969).

What disturbs him now about himself? "I am bothered chiefly by my little fears that are the same as they were almost 70 years ago. I was born scared and am still scared. This has sometimes tested my courage almost beyond endurance."

"I have no heroes, no saints," he said, "I do have a tremendous respect for anyone who does something extremely well, no matter what. I would rather watch a really gifted plumber than listen to a bad poet. I'd rather watch someone build a good boat than attend the launching of a poorly constructed play. My admirations are wide-ranging and are not confined to arts and letters."

These are the kind of people who give him the willies; "Subtly corrupt people. Vaguely fraudulent people. Talkative people who have nothing to say. Power-hungry people. Creative people with their ear to the ground. People whose names begin with W."

Asked what he cherished most in life, Mr. White replied: "When my wife's Aunt Caroline was in her nineties, she lived with us, and she once remarked: "Remembrance is sufficient of the beauty we have seen.' I cherish the remembrance of the beauty I have seen. I cherish the grave, compulsive word."

Also,

"I wish instead I were doing what my dog is doing at this moment, rolling in something ripe he has found on the beach in order to take on its smell," he said. "His is such an easy, simple way to increase one's stature and enlarge one's personality."