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INTERVIEWER

Faulkner has said of writers, “All of us failed to match our dreams of perfection.” Would you put yourself in this category?

E.B. WHITE

Yes. My friend, John McNulty, had a title for a popular song he always intended to write and never did: “Keep your dreams within reason.” We both thought this was a very funny idea for a song. I still think it is funny. My dreams have never been kept within reason. I’m glad they’ve not been. And Faulkner was right—all of us failed.

INTERVIEWER

Could you say what those dreams were?

E.B. WHITE

No. Here I think you are asking me to be specific, or explicit, about something that is essentially vague and inexpressible. Don Marquis said it perfectly:

My heart has followed all my days

Something I cannot name.