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 More Quotes by Robertson Davies More Quotes From Robertson Davies There is absolutely no point in sitting down to write a book unless you feel that you must write that book, or else go mad, or die. Robertson Davies mad writing book One of the things that puzzles me is that so few people want to look at life as a totality and to recognize that death is no more extraordinary than birth. When they say it's the end of everything they don't seem to recognize that we came from somewhere and it would be very, very strange indeed to suppose that we're not going somewhere. Robertson Davies would-be people looks Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors for the same reasons. Robertson Davies wise love funny I was afraid and did not know what I feared, which is the worst kind of fear. Robertson Davies worst kind fear 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 wise dog funny The young are often accused of exaggerating their troubles; they do so, very often, in the hope of making some impression upon the inertia and the immovability of the selfish old. Robertson Davies selfish trouble young One learns one’s mystery at the price of one’s innocence. Robertson Davies innocence mystery Boredom and stupidity and patriotism, especially when combined, are three of the greatest evils of the world we live in. Robertson Davies boredom stupidity evil 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. Robertson Davies smart fashion people This is one of the cruelties of the theatre of life; we all think of ourselves as stars and rarely recognize it when we are indeed mere supporting characters or even supernumeraries. Robertson Davies stars character thinking Oho, now I know what you are. You are an advocate of Useful Knowledge.... Well, allow me to introduce myself to you as an advocate of Ornamental Knowledge. You like the mind to be a neat machine, equipped to work efficiently, if narrowly, and with no extra bits or useless parts. I like the mind to be a dustbin of scraps of brilliant fabric, odd gems, worthless but fascinating curiosities, tinsel, quaint bits of carving, and a reasonable amount of healthy dirt. Shake the machine and it goes out of order; shake the dustbin and it adjusts itself beautifully to its new position. Robertson Davies healthy order knowledge I do not really like vacations. I much prefer an occasional day off when I do not feel like working. When I am confronted with a whole week in which I have nothing to do but enjoy myself I do not know where to begin. To me, enjoyment comes fleetingly and unheralded; I cannot determinedly enjoy myself for a whole week at a time. Robertson Davies vacation days-off week Pornography is rather like trying to find out about a Beethoven symphony by having somebody tell you about it and perhaps hum a few bars. Robertson Davies bars symphony trying It is a waste of time to dissipate one's moral zeal in disapproving of royal persons who have mistresses. Robertson Davies royal mistress waste And I say to you that if you bring curiosity to your work it will cease to be merely a job and become a door through which you enter the best that life has to give you. Robertson Davies doors jobs giving Whoever declares a child to be "delicate" thereby crowns and anoints a tyrant. Robertson Davies crowns tyrants children Fanaticism is overcompensation for doubt. Robertson Davies atheism faith doubt If we seek the pleasures of love, passion should be occasional, and common sense continual. Robertson Davies passion love life I don't think I would ever write a book with what anybody could call pornography in it, because I feel that pornography is a cheat. It is an attempt to provide sexual experience by secondhand means. Now sex is a thing which has to be experienced firsthand, if you are really going to understand it, and pornography is rather like trying to find out about a Beethoven symphony by having somebody tell you about it and perhaps hum a few bars. It's not the same thing. Sex is primarily a question of relationships. Pornography is a do-it-yourself kit--a twenty-second best. Robertson Davies mean book sex It is odd how all men develop the notion, as they grow older, that their mothers were wonderful cooks. I have yet to meet a man who will admit that his mother was a kitchen assassin and nearly poisoned him. Robertson Davies mother food men
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