David D. Levine

"“My dear Mrs. Singh,” Lady Corey sighed, interrupting. “The first thing you must learn about prevarication is to reduce detail to an absolute minimum."

"Poor behavior reflects will upon one’s family and upon one’s station in life. Without family and station, one lacks influence. And without influence, little of consequence can be accomplished."

"They think the privateer’s life one of nothing but adventure, violence, evasion, and escape. But, between letters of marque, bills of lading, rosters, inventories, and plunder contracts, it involves, …"

"I do not pretend to understand how gears and levers can bring forth consciousness, sir, but it certainly appears that somehow they have."

"Though you sometimes strike me as incapable of improvement, I feel honor-bound to make the attempt."

"If only things were not as they are, she reflected, they would certainly be different."

"How absurd, she thought, that the sight of a man’s naked breast should be more objectionable than to see him possibly blown to bits."

"Princes and Admirals, she thought, did not seem to be subject to the same rules as the rest of society."