The English think that incompetence is the same thing as sincerity. Quentin Crisp More Quotes by Quentin Crisp More Quotes From Quentin Crisp The Americans, of course, are quite dotty with hospitality. Quentin Crisp hospitality courses It is true that in America I've become a national hero, but really I was a hopeless case, that was all. Quentin Crisp hopeless hero america I have to realise that as I am only English and am allowed to live in America, I have to give something in return. And since I cannot build a hospital, or endow a university, I can only give my infinite availability. Quentin Crisp availability giving america Most men when they make up their faces, the makeup stands forward, and their faces are behind. Quentin Crisp makeup faces men I had a friend who had two degrees of being made up: when invited I would say 'Can I make up?' and he would say 'Oh yes - tinted?', or he would say, 'Oh yes - clotted?' Quentin Crisp degrees made two Nowadays people don't use face powder; they say it dries the skin. But I makeup in the old-fashioned way. Quentin Crisp makeup skins people I never really found out what love was. Quentin Crisp found Central Europe is full of little countries standing shoulder to shoulder with no window to the sea. They are like the passengers in a rush-hour train which has stopped between stations for three centuries. And they all hate one another. And they're all crushed together waving their national flags, clanking their national chains, jabbering their national language. Quentin Crisp hate europe country The United States are a miracle: the division between two states is sometimes a river or a mountain, and sometimes it's a straight line. But nobody says, "That tree really belongs in South Carolina. I shan't do anything about it now, I'll get it back later." I shall go after I am here to London and after that to Potsdam, where Comrade Stalin, Mr Churchill and Harry Truman divided up Europe; and what we see now is the result of that. The Americans would have accepted it. But Europeans don't accept anything. Quentin Crisp rivers europe two I'm too old to make drawings. Quentin Crisp drawing I'm happy. I don't ever have to pay anything, and I don't ever have to wash the dishes, and I don't ever have to behave nicely. Quentin Crisp behave dishes pay America believes in freedom. The English don't believe in it. They don't believe in happiness. Quentin Crisp dont-believe believe america It's written into the Constitution that you're allowed to pursue happiness. In England it would be considered a frivolous objective. Quentin Crisp constitution england would-be In Manhattan, when you're out of the front door, you're on, and you have to be ready to smile and speak to people. Quentin Crisp manhattan doors people Everybody who's been on television more than once wears in public an expression of fatuous affability. Because you may be addressed at any moment by somebody. Quentin Crisp expression may television Every day someone notices me and waves to me, or stops and speaks to me, or asks me for an autograph, or photographs me. Quentin Crisp wave photograph speak All America is much the same. Quentin Crisp america I don't believe in convention at all. I do what I have to do to stay alive. Quentin Crisp conventions alive believe You don't have to do anything. Quentin Crisp I go wherever my fare is paid. Quentin Crisp paid
