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Robertson Davies

Robertson Davies Quotes

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Famous Robertson Davies Quotes

“If I had to describe my remarks this evening frankly as if I were in police court and on oath, so to speak I should have to call it a ramble over several subjects, portions of which may seem to you to be impudent, and portions of which will be ignorant, and portions of which may contrive to be both at once.”

IfsShouldMaySeemsSpeakSubjectsShould HavePoliceCourtIgnorantEveningPortionsRemarksOath
Book:Selected Works on the Pleasures of Reading
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“The truth is that art does not teach; it makes you feel, and any teaching that may arise from the feeling is an extra, and must not be stressed too much. In the modern world, and in Canada as much as anywhere, we are obsessed with the notion that to think is the highest achievement of mankind, but we neglect the fact that thought untouched by feeling is thin, delusive, treacherous stuff.”

ThinkingWorldFeelsMayDoeArtFactsFeelingsStuffTeachToo MuchTeachingModernMankindTruth IsAchievementHighestNotionAriseObsessedExtrasCanadaNeglectModern WorldStressedTreacherous
Book:Fortune, My Foe and Eros at Breakfast
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“The reclusive man who marries the gregarious woman, the timid woman who marries the courageous man, the idealist who marries the realist we can all see these unions: the marriages in which tenderness meets loyalty, where generosity sweetens moroseness, where a sense of beauty eases some aridity of the spirit, are not so easy for outsiders to recognize; the parties themselves may not be fully aware of such elements in a good match.”

MenMaySpiritEasyPartyElementsUnionsLoyaltyGenerosityEaseCourageousTendernessOutsidersRealistIdealistGregariousCourageous Man
Author:Robertson Davies
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“Great drama, drama that may reach the alchemical level, must have dimension and its relevance will take care of itself. Writing about AIDS rather than the cocktail set, or possibly the fairy kingdom, will not guarantee importance. . . . The old comment that all periods of time are at an equal distance from eternity says much, and pondering on it will lead to alchemical theatre while relevance becomes old hat.”

WritingMayCareLevelsPeriodsDramaEqualEternityImportanceDistanceTake CareTheatreAidsKingdomsFairyDimensionsGuaranteesHatsCommentRelevancePonderingCocktails
Book:Happy Alchemy: On the Pleasures of Music and the Theatre
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“Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything I know it may be glandular. But it is not something that can be demanded from life, and if you are not happy you had better stop worrying about it and see what treasures you can pluck from your own brand of unhappiness.”

IfsKnowsLifeMayMatterHappinessWorryProductsDeterminationHappyTreasureBrandsUnhappinessBeing HappyTemperamentTrue HappinessFinding HappinessGreat HappinessNot HappyLife HappinessPluckStop WorryingInner HappinessAlways HappyJust Be HappyFeeling HappyLife And HappinessSelf HappinessAlways Be HappyReal HappinessWhat Is HappinessInner Peace And HappinessHappy ThingsBeing Happy With LifeMy Own Happiness
Author:Robertson Davies
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“Book lovers are thought by unbookish people to be gentle and unworldly, and perhaps a few of them are so. But there are others who will lie and scheme and steal to get books as wildly and unconscionably as the dope-taker in pursuit of his drug. They may not want the books to read immediately, or at all; they want them to possess, to range on their shelves, to have at command. They want books as a Turk is thought to want concubines - not to be hastily deflowered, but to be kept at their master's call, and enjoyed more often in thought than in reality.”

PeopleWantMayBookRealityLyingLanguageMastersLoversDrugPursuitStealingCommandEnjoyedRangeGentleSchemesShelvesDopeBook LoverConcubines
Author:Robertson Davies
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“In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains and certain aspects of our system pertain to it which are not dependent on any political party. In this sense, the Crown is the consecrated spirit of Canada.”

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Book:Hunting Stuart and The Voice of the People
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“Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never tire of it. If we do tire of it, if we lose our curiosity, we have lost something of infinite value, because to a high degree it is curiosity that gives meaning and savour to life.”

IfsGivingMayValuesLostLosesSunRichDegreesInfiniteCuriosityTireAstonishingNothing NewSavourNothing New Under The Sun
Book:Selected works on the art of writing
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