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Robertson Davies

Robertson Davies Quotes

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Famous Robertson Davies Quotes

“Though thousands of people indulge themselves in it regularly, and even develop a taste for it, there is no doubt in my mind (and that of scientists whom I employ to prove it) that Work is a dangerous and destructive drug, and should be called by its right name, which is Fatigue.”

PeopleShouldMindNamesWorkDoubtDangerousTasteDrugProveScientistNo DoubtDestructiveFatigueIndulgeProve It
Book:The papers of Samuel Marchbanks
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“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.”

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Book:Selected Works on the Pleasures of Reading
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“Our forebears are deserving of tribute for one indisputable reason, if for no other: without them we should not be here. Let us recognize that we are not the ultimate triumph but rather we are beads on a string. Let us behave with decency to the beads that were strung before us and hope modestly that the beads that come after us will not hold us of no account simply because we are dead.”

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Author:Robertson Davies
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“That is the operatic problem; the singer must keep up a big head of steam while trying to appear secretive, or seductive, or consumptive. Some ingenious composer should write an opera about a group of people who were condemned by a cruel god to scream all the time; it would be an instantaneous success, and a triumph of versimilitude.”

PeopleShouldWritingTryingProblemBigsWould BeGroupsSingersTriumphScreamOperaComposerSteamSeductiveIngeniousSecretiveInstantaneousBig Heads
Book:The papers of Samuel Marchbanks
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“"Children, don't speak so coarsely," said Mr Webster, who had a vague notion that some supervision should be exercised over his daughters' speech, and that a line should be drawn, but never knew quite when to draw it. He had allowed his daughters to use his library without restraint, and nothing is more fatal to maidenly delicacy of speech than the run of a good library.”

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Author:Robertson Davies
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“Not enough attention is paid to the negative side of fashion. Great effort is exerted to make people look smart, but somebody should face the fact that a lot of people never will be smart, and that they should be given some assistance in maintaining their fascinating dowdiness.”

PeopleShouldLooksEnoughFactsFacesGivenSidesEffortAttentionFashionSmartNegativePaidFascinatingAssistanceMaintainingBeing SmartGreat Effort
Book:The Table Talk of Samuel Marchbanks
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