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Robert Louis Stevenson Quotes

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Robert Louis Stevenson was a 19th-century Scottish novelist, poet, travel writer, and essayist. His works are characterized by adventure and romance, with his most famous novels being 'Treasure Island' and 'The Adventure of the Treasure Island'. Stevenson's works have been beloved by readers and have had a profound impact on literature.

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All Men Ifs Life World Long Should Mind Knows Littles People Happiness Giving Wells Writing Children Inspirational Jekyll May Way Ends

Famous Robert Louis Stevenson Quotes

“It is not for nothing, either, that the umbrella has become the very foremost badge of modern civilization--the Urim and Thummim of respectability. . . . So strongly do we feel on this point, indeed, that we are almost inclined to consider all who possess really well-conditioned umbrellas as worthy of the Franchise.”

Feels Wells Modern Civilization Worthy Umbrella Badges Respectability Modern Civilization

Book:Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Third Edition

Source: Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Third Edition

“To hold the same views at forty as we held at twenty is to have been stupefied for a score of years, and take rank, not as a prophet, but as an unteachable brat, well birched and none the wiser. It is as if a ship captain should sail to India from the Port of London; and having brought a chart of the Thames on deck at his first setting out, should obstinately use no other for the whole voyage.”

Ifs Should Years Firsts Wells Has Beens Whole Use Views India Twenties London Setting Ships Settings Prophet Score Forty Sail Captains Wiser Voyages Port Deck Brat Thames

Book:The Lantern-Bearers and Other Essays

Source: The Lantern-Bearers and Other Essays

“By the time a man gets well into his seventies his continued existence is a mere miracle.”

Men Wells Existence Miracle Mere Seventies Get Well

Author:Robert Louis Stevenson

“We were to found a University magazine. A pair of little, active brothers-Livingstone by name, great skippers on the foot, great rubbers of the hands, who kept a book-shop over against the University building-had been debauched to play the part of publishers. We four were to be conjuct editors and, what was the main point of the concern, to print our own works; while, by every rule of arithmetic-that flatterer of credulity-the adventure must succeed and bring great profit. Well, well: it was a bright vision.”

Source: Memories, Portraits, Essays and Records (Annotated Edition)

“Must we to bed indeed? Well then, Let us arise and go like men, And face with an undaunted tread The long black passage up to bed.”

Men Wells Long Faces Black Bed Arise Passages Undaunted

Author:Robert Louis Stevenson

“There is indeed one element in human destiny that not blindness itself can controvert: whatever else we are intended to do, we are not intended to succeed; failure is the fate allotted. It is so in every art and study; it is so above all in the continent art of living well.”

Humans Wells Art Destiny Study Fate Succeed Elements Continents Blindness Live Well Art Of Living

Book:The Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson: Novels, Short Stories, Poems, Plays, Memoirs, Travel Sketches, Letters and Essays (Illustrated Edition): The Entire Opus of Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer, containing Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, Catriona and A Child's Garden of Verses

Source: The Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson: Novels, Short Stories, Poems, Plays, Memoirs, Travel Sketches, Letters and Essays (Illustrated Edition): The Entire Opus of Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer, containing Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, Catriona and A Child's Garden of Verses

“Friends: People who know you well, but like you anyway. The cruelest lies are often told in silence.”

People Knows Wells Lying Silence Like You

Author:Robert Louis Stevenson

“That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much.”

“Well, well, Henry James is pretty good, though he is of the nineteenth century, and that glaringly.”

Wells Century Nineteenth Century

Book:The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson, Vol. III (1887-1891)

Source: The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson, Vol. III (1887-1891)

“The man is a success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it; who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.”

“We look for some reward of our endeavors and are disappointed that not success, not happiness, not even peace of conscience, crowns our ineffectual efforts to do well. Our frailties are invincible, our virtues barren; the battle goes sore against us to the going down of the sun.”

Wells Looks Effort Sun Virtue Battle Conscience Optimism Rewards Endeavor Pessimism Disappointed Crowns Invincible Barren Frailty

Book:Collected Memoirs, Travel Sketches and Island Literature of Robert Louis Stevenson: Autobiographical Writings and Essays by the prolific Scottish novelist, poet and travel writer, author of Treasure Island, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kidnapped & Catriona

Source: Collected Memoirs, Travel Sketches and Island Literature of Robert Louis Stevenson: Autobiographical Writings and Essays by the prolific Scottish novelist, poet and travel writer, author of Treasure Island, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kidnapped & Catriona

“To know what you like is the beginning of wisdom and of old age. Youth is wholly experimental. The essence and charm of that unquiet and delightful epoch is ignorance of self as well as ignorance of life.”

Knows Wells Self Age Youth Ignorance Essence Old Age Charm Delightful Epoch

Book:Across the Plains

Source: Across the Plains

“To love playthings well as a child, to lead an adventurous and honorable youth, and to settle when the time arrives, into a green and smiling age, is to be a good artis en life and deserve well of yourself and your neighbor.”

Wells Children Age Youth Balance Deserve Green Neighbor Settling Honorable Adventurous Good Art

Book:Virginibus puerisque,

Source: Virginibus puerisque,

“A friend is somebody who loves us with understanding, as well as emotion.”

Wells Understanding Emotion

Author:Robert Louis Stevenson

“Wherever we are, it is but a stage on the way to somewhere else, and whatever we do, however well we do it, it is only a preparation to do something else that shall be different.”