I like English cookery and English beer, French red wines, Spanish white wines, Indian tea, strong

tobacco, coal fires, candlelight and comfortable chairs. I dislike big towns, noise, motor cars, the radio, tinned food, central heating and modern furniture. Autobiographical note In nearly three weeks I had fired just three shots at the enemy. They say it takes a thousand bullets to kill a man, and at this rate it would be twenty years before I killed my first Fascist. Homage to Catalonia Lastly, tea should be drunk without sugar. I know very well that I am in a minority here. But still, how can you call yourself a true tealover if you destroy the flavour of your tea by putting sugar in it? It would be equally reasonable to put in pepper or salt. A nice cup of tea An illusion can become a half-truth, a mask can alter the expression of a face. The familiar arguments to the effect that democracy is just the same as or just as bad as totalitarianism never take account of this fact. All such arguments boil down to saying that half a loaf is the same as no bread. In England such concepts as justice, liberty and objective truth are still believed in. They may be illusions, but they are very powerful illusions. England, your England We are in a strange period of History, where a patriot has to be revolutionary and a revolutionary has to be a patriot. The Lion and the Unicorn Animal Farm was the first book in which I tried, with full consciousness of what I was doing, to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole. Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism as I understand it. "Why I Write" At this period, after his long fast, the toad has a very spiritual look, like a strict Anglo-Catholic towards the end of Lent. His movements are

languid but purposeful, his body is shrunken, and by contrast his eyes look abnormally large. Some Thoughts on the Common Toad If thought corrupt language, language can corrupt thought. Politics and the English language There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But alwaysdo not forget this, Winstonalways there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human faceforever. Nineteen Eighty-Four

a. In nearly three weeks I had fired just three shots at the enemy. They say it takes a thousand bullets to kill a man, and at this rate it would be twenty years before I killed my first Fascist. b. An illusion can become a half-truth, a mask can alter the expression of a face. The familiar arguments to the effect that democracy is just the same as or just as bad as totalitarianism never take account of this fact. All such arguments boil down to saying that half a loaf is the same as no bread. In England such concepts as justice, liberty and objective truth are still believed in. They may be illusions, but they are very powerful illusions. c. Animal Farm was the first book in which I tried, with full consciousness of what I was doing, to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole. d. Every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been written, directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism as I understand it. e. I like English cookery and English beer, French red wines, Spanish white wines, Indian tea, strong tobacco, coal fires, candlelight and comfortable chairs. I dislike big towns, noise, motor cars, the radio, tinned food, central heating and modern furniture. f. Lastly, tea should be drunk without sugar. I know very well that I am in a minority here. But still, how can you call yourself a true tealover if you destroy the flavour of your tea by putting sugar in it? It would be equally reasonable to put in pepper or salt.

h. It is curious, but till that moment I had never realised what it means to destroy a healthy, conscious man. When I saw the prisoner step aside to avoid the puddle I saw the mystery, the unspeakable wrongness, of cutting a life short when it is in full tide. This man was not dying, he was alive just as we are alive. i. There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But alwaysdo not forget this, Winstonalways there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human faceforever. We are in a strange period of History, where a patriot has to be revolutionary and a revolutionary has to be a patriot.

j.

k. If thought corrupt language, language can corrupt thought. l. Night after night I prayed, with a fervour never previously attained in my prayers, Please God, do not let me wet my bed! Oh, please God, do not let me wet my bed!, but it made remarkably little difference.

g. At this period, after his long fast, the toad has a very spiritual look, like a strict Anglo-Catholic towards the end of Lent. His movements are languid but purposeful, his body is shrunken, and by contrast his eyes look abnormally large.

1. A Nice Cup of Tea 2. Autobiographical Note 3. England, Your England 4. Politics and the English Language 5. Some Thoughts on the Common Toad 6. The Lion and the Unicorn 7. Such, such were the joys 8. Nineteen Eighty-Four 9. Why I Write 10. Homage to Catalonia 11. A hanging