Nothing … nothing in the universe, is of any importance, or is authentic to any serious sense, except the illusions of romance. For man alone of animals plays the ape to his dreams. These axioms — poor, deaf and blinded spendthrift! — are none the less valuable for being quoted.

The Gander, in Book Seven : What Saraïde Wanted, Ch. XLV : The Gander Also Generalizes - The Silver Stallion (1926)