Top 7 Quotes by Hugh MacLennan

Man is a thinking animal, a talking animal, a toolmaking animal, a building animal, a political animal, a fantasizing animal. But, in the twilight of a civilization he is chiefly a taxpaying animal.

Man is a thinking animal, a talking animal, a toolmaking animal, a building animal, a political animal, a fantasizing animal. But, in the twilight of a civilization he is chiefly a taxpaying animal.

Hugh MacLennan

Twilight, Animal, Men

Hugh MacLennan (2011). “Voices in Time”, p.182, McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP

But that night as I drove back to Montreal, I at least discovered this: that there is no simple explanation for anything important any of us do, and that the human tragedy, or the human irony, consists in the necessity of living with the consequences of actions performed under the pressure of compulsions so obscure we do not and cannot understand them.

Hugh MacLennan

Simple, Night, Tragedy

Hugh MacLennan (2009). “Watch that Ends the Night”, p.266, McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP

In comparison with a loving human being, everything else is worthless.

Hugh MacLennan

Humans, Human Beings, Comparison

Hugh Maclennan (2009). “Each Man's Son”, p.310, New Canadian Library

Love, sought as an escape from the burden of the self, turns rapidly into a captivity.

Hugh MacLennan

Self, Captivity, Burden

Hugh MacLennan (1975). “The watch that ends the night: a novel”, Macmillan of Canada, 1975

The Socialists can scheme their schemes and the Liberals can dream their dreams, but we, at least, have work to do.

Hugh MacLennan

Dream, Schemes

The Greeks, who knew everything, understood that without the orgy there is no middle ground between bedlam and Toronto ... we need the healing grace of the orgy in this country.

Hugh MacLennan

Country, Healing, Grace