My idea of man's chief end was to enrich the world with things of beauty, and have a fairly good time myself while doing so. Robert Louis Stevenson More Quotes by Robert Louis Stevenson More Quotes From Robert Louis Stevenson It is the mark of a good action that it appears inevitable in retrospect. Robert Louis Stevenson retrospectactionlife The less I understood of this farrago, the less I was in a position to judge of its importance. Robert Louis Stevenson importanceunderstoodjudging But even if we take matrimony at its lowest, even if we regard it as no more than a sort of friendship recognized by the police, there must be degrees in the freedom and sympathy realized, and some principle to guide simple folk in their selection. Robert Louis Stevenson marriagepolicefriendship The saints are the sinners who keep on trying. Robert Louis Stevenson sainttryingpositive Marriage is like life - it is a field of battle, not a bed of roses. Robert Louis Stevenson bed-of-rosesbattleflower The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of God just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain common work as it comes certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things of life. Robert Louis Stevenson starsflowerlife I've a grand memory for forgetting. Robert Louis Stevenson forgetmemories Give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere. Give us courage and gaiety, and the quiet mind. Spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies. Bless us, if it may be, in all our innocent endeavours. If it may not, give us the strength to encounter that which is to come, that we may be brave in peril, constant in tribulation, temparate in wrath, and in all changes of fortune, and down to the gates of death, loyal and loving to one another. Robert Louis Stevenson wrathbravegiving The only noble thing a man can do with money is to build a schooner. Robert Louis Stevenson noblecan-domen In the other gardens Robert Louis Stevenson flowersummersong I never drew a picture of anything that was before me but always from fancy, a sure sign of the absence of artistic eyesight; and I illustrated my lack of real feeling for art by a very early speech: 'Mama,' said I, 'I have drawed a man. Shall I draw his soul now? Robert Louis Stevenson realmenart He who sows hurry reaps indigestion. Robert Louis Stevenson indigestionreap No man is useless while he has a friend. Robert Louis Stevenson real-friendscheerfriendship A friend is somebody who loves us with understanding, as well as emotion. Robert Louis Stevenson wellsemotionunderstanding We can only know others by ourselves. Robert Louis Stevenson knowshappinesslife Old and young, we are all on our last cruise. Robert Louis Stevenson cruiselastsinspirational 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. Robert Louis Stevenson preparationdifferentsomewhere-else If a man loves the labour of his trade, apart from any question of success or fame, the gods have called him. Robert Louis Stevenson worksuccesslove I have been made to learn that the doom and burden of our life is bound forever on man’s shoulders; and when the attempt is made to cast it off, it but returns upon us with more unfamiliar and more awful pressure. Robert Louis Stevenson awfulforevermen How do you like to go up in a swing, Robert Louis Stevenson wallsummerchildren
