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Quote by Robertson Davies

“"Civilization rests on two things," said Hitzig; "the discovery that fermentation produces alcohol, and voluntary ability to inhibit defecation. And I put it to you, where would this splendidly civilized occasion be without both?"”

Quote by Robertson Davies

Author

Robertson Davies

Robertson Davies was a Canadian novelist known for his wit and humor. His works often set in the Canadian society, exploring the relationship between individuals and society. Davies' works include the 'Amos Fortune' series and the 'Crown of the North' series, which are highly appreciated by readers. more

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“May I make a suggestion, hoping it is not an impertinence? Write it down: write down what you feel. It is sometimes a wonderful help in misery.”

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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.”

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Book:The Table Talk of Samuel Marchbanks

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“The people who fear humor - and they are many - are suspicious of its power to present things in unexpected lights, to question received opinions and to suggest unforeseen possibilities.”

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Author:Robertson Davies

“Nobody who looks as though he enjoyed life is ever called distinguished, though he is a man in a million.”

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Source: The Table Talk of Samuel Marchbanks

“But as a skeptic I am dubious about science as about everything else, unless the scientist is himself a skeptic, and few of them are. The stench of formaldehyde may be as potent as the whiff of incense in stimulating a naturally idolatrous understanding.”

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Author:Robertson Davies

“Secrets are the blood of life. Every big thing is a secret, even when you know it, because you never know all of it. If you can know everything about anything, it is not worth knowing.”

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Book:The Cornish Trilogy

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“I have no skills with machines. I fear them, and because I cannot help attributing human qualities to them, I suspect that they hate me and will kill me if they can.”

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Book:The Merry Heart: Reflections on Reading, Writing, and the World of Books

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“The people of the United States, perhaps more than any other nation in history, love to abase themselves and proclaim their unworthiness, and seem to find refreshment in doing so... That is a dark frivolity, but still frivolity.”

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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.”

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Book:Selected works on the art of writing

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