Robertson Davies quotes

Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it. (Robertson Davies)
A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight.
Robertson Davies
The greatest gift that Oxford gives her sons is, I truly believe, a genial irreverence toward learning, and from that irreverence love may spring.
Robertson Davies
Every man is wise when attacked by a mad dog; fewer when pursued by a mad woman; only the wisest survive when attacked by a mad notion.
Robertson Davies
The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a return to the idealised past.
Robertson Davies
Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors for the same reasons.
Robertson Davies
The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.
Robertson Davies
To be a book-collector is to combine the worst characteristics of a dope fiend with those of a miser.
Robertson Davies
Literary critics, however, frequently suffer from a curious belief that every author longs to extend the boundaries of literary art, wants to explore new dimensions of the human spirit, and if he doesn't, he should be ashamed of himself.
Robertson Davies
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.
Robertson Davies
The quality of what is said inevitably influences the way in which it is said, however inexperienced the writer. (Robertson Davies)
The clerisy are those who read for pleasure, but not for idleness who read for pastime but not to kill time who love books, but do not live by books.
Robertson Davies
Several children present me with scraps of paper for autographs obviously don't know who I am and don't care. I sign Jackie Collins and they go away quite content.
Robertson Davies
There is no nonsense so gross that society will not, at some time, make a doctrine of it and defend it with every weapon of communal stupidity.
Robertson Davies
The love of truth lies at the root of much humor.
Robertson Davies
A happy childhood has spoiled many a promising life.
Robertson Davies
This is the Great Theatre of Life. Admission is free, but the taxation is mortal. You come when you can, and leave when you must. The show is continuous. Goodnight.
Robertson Davies
Clarity is not a characteristic of the human spirit.
Robertson Davies
Are you going to be just kind of a walking monument to a job, or are you going to have some kind of really significant inner life of your own? Because the external things - the job, the house, the this, the that - do not really fill the place inside.
Robertson Davies
To be apt in quotation is a splendid and dangerous gift. Splendid, because it ornaments a man's speech with other men's jewels; dangerous, for the same reason.
Robertson Davies
The people who fear humor - and there are many -are suspicious of its power to present things in unexpected lights to question received opinions and to suggest unforeseen possibilities. (Robertson Davies)
Conversation in its true meaning isn't all wagging the tongue; sometimes it is a deeply shared silence.
Robertson Davies
Humour very often consists of shrewd perceptions about people. It's usually fun at someone's expense. Nowadays if you're funny at anybody's expense they run to the UN and say, "I must have an ombudsman to protect me." You hardly dare have a shrewd perception about anybody.
Robertson Davies
Of course, fairies are all imported in North America. We have no native fairies. The Little People do not long survive importation - unless they go to California and grow large and beautiful, but haven't much flavour, like the fruit and the film stars.
Robertson Davies
They [say] everybody's creative. Well, everybody is. But any real creativity has to rest on a basis of an acquired technique and an acquired knowledge; you can't be creative in a void, or you just get a mess.
Robertson Davies