Top 25 Quotes by Robert Louis Stevenson of 442 - Page 16

A proposition of geometry does not compete with life; and a proposition of geometry is a fair and luminous parallel for a work of art. Both are reasonable, both untrue to the crude fact; both inhere in nature, neither

A proposition of geometry does not compete with life; and a proposition of geometry is a fair and luminous parallel for a work of art. Both are reasonable, both untrue to the crude fact; both inhere in nature, neither represents it.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Art, Doe, Facts

Robert Louis Stevenson (1999). “The Lantern-Bearers and Other Essays”, p.195, Cooper Square Press

Whenever the moon and stars are set, Whenever the wind is high, All night long in the dark and wet, A man goes riding by.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Stars, Dark, Moon

'A Child's Garden of Verses' (1885) 'Windy Nights'

He who has learned to love an art or science has wisely laid up riches against the day of riches.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Art, Riches

Robert Louis Stevenson (2004). “Lay Morals”, p.49, 1st World Publishing

Bright is the ring of words When the right man rings them.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Men, Rings, Right Man

Robert Louis Stevenson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson (Illustrated)”, p.3595, Delphi Classics

A horrible sense of blackness and the treachery of fate seized hold upon the soul of the unhappy student.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Fate, Soul, Unhappy

Robert Louis Stevenson (2015). “The Body Snatcher and Other Tales”, p.72, Xist Publishing

I have done my fiddling so long under Vesuvius that I have almost forgotten to play, and can only wait for the eruption and think it long of coming. Literally no man has more wholly outlived life than I. And still it's good fun.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Life, Fun, Men

Robert Louis Stevenson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson (Illustrated)”, p.6618, Delphi Classics

Trusty, dusky, vivid, true, With eyes of gold and bramble-dew, Steel-true and blade-straight, The great artificer made my mate.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Eye, Poetry, Gold

'Songs of Travel' (1896) 'My Wife'

But of works of art little can be said.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Art, Littles, Said

Robert Louis Stevenson (2014). “Memories, Portraits, Essays and Records (Annotated Edition)”, p.429, Jazzybee Verlag

There can be no fairer ambition than to excel in talk; to be affable, gay, ready, clear, and welcome.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Ambition, Gay, Welcome

Robert Louis Stevenson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson (Illustrated)”, p.4809, Delphi Classics

When loud by landside streamlets gush, And clear in the greenwood quires the thrush, With sun on the meadows And songs in the shadows Comes again to me The gift of the tongues of the lea, The gift of the tongues of meadows. So when the earth is alive with gods, And the lusty ploughman breaks the sod, And the grass sings in the meadows, And the flowers smile in the shadows, Sits my heart at ease, Hearing the song of the leas, Singing the songs of the meadows.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Song, Flower, Heart

Robert Louis Stevenson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson (Illustrated)”, p.3765, Delphi Classics

Everyday life is a stimulating mixture of order and haphazardry. The sun rises and sets on schedule but the wind bloweth where it listeth.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Life, Order, Wind

Alan," cried I, "what makes ye so good to me? What makes ye care for such a thankless fellow?" Deed, and I don't, know" said Alan. "For just precisely what I thought I liked about ye, was that ye never quarrelled:—and now I like ye better!

Robert Louis Stevenson

Care, Deeds, Said

Robert Louis Stevenson (2015). “KIDNAPPED (StoneHenge Classics)”, p.132, StoneHenge Classics

A birdie with a yellow bill Hoped upon the window sill, Cocked his shining eye and said: 'Ain't you 'shamed, you sleepy-'ead?

Robert Louis Stevenson

Eye, Yellow, Shining

It is the history of our kindnesses that alone make this world tolerable. If it were not for that, for the effect of kind words, kind looks, kind letters . . . I should be inclined to think our life a practical jest in the worst possible spirit.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Kindness, Thinking, Looks

The problem of education is twofold: first to know, and then to utter. Everyone who lives any semblance of an inner life thinks more nobly and profoundly than he speaks.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Education, Thinking, Firsts

I believe in an ultimate decency of things.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Believe, Ultimate, Decency

Letter to Sidney Colvin, 23 August 1893, in Sidney Colvin (ed.) 'The Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson' (1911) vol. 4, p. 211

A child should always say what's true, And speak when he is spoken to, And behave mannerly at table: At least as far as he is able.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Children, Tables, Speak

A Child's Garden of Verses "Whole Duty of Children" l. 1 (1885)

If it comes to a swinging, swing all, say I.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Swings, Ifs

Robert Louis Stevenson (1884). “Treasure Island”, p.15

We look for some reward of our endeavors and are disappointed that not success, not happiness, not even peace of conscience, crowns our ineffectual efforts to do well. Our frailties are invincible, our virtues barren; the battle goes sore against us to the going down of the sun.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Optimism, Effort, Battle

Robert Louis Stevenson (2015). “Collected Memoirs, Travel Sketches and Island Literature of Robert Louis Stevenson: Autobiographical Writings and Essays by the prolific Scottish novelist, poet and travel writer, author of Treasure Island, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kidnapped & Catriona”, p.452, e-artnow

We are not content to pass away entirely from the scenes of our delight; we would leave, if but in gratitude, a pillar and a legend.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Gratitude, Funeral, Passing Away

Robert Louis Stevenson (2016). “Across the Plains”, p.92, BookRix

There are, indeed, few merrier spectacles than that of many windmills bickering together in a fresh breeze over a woody country; their halting alacrity of movement, their pleasant business, making bread all day with uncouth gesticulation; their air, gigantically human, as of a creature half alive, put a spirit of romance into the tamest landscape.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Country, Air, Wind

Robert Louis Stevenson, June Skinner Sawyers (2002). “Dreams of elsewhere: the selected travel writings of Robert Louis Stevenson”, Neil Wilson Pub Ltd

When a torrent sweeps a man against a boulder, you must expect him to scream, and you need not be surprised if the scream is sometimes a theory.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Men, Boulders, Needs

Robert Louis Stevenson (2015). “The Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson: Novels, Short Stories, Poems, Plays, Memoirs, Travel Sketches, Letters and Essays (Illustrated Edition): The Entire Opus of Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer, containing Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, Catriona and A Child's Garden of Verses”, p.4576, e-artnow

This was the shocking thing; that the slime of the pit seemed to utter cries and voices; that the amorphous dust gesticulated and sinned; that what was dead, and had no shape, should usurp the offices of life. And this again, that that insurgent horror was knit to him closer than a wife, closer than an eye; lay caged in his flesh, where he heard it mutter and felt it struggle to be born; and at every hour of weakness, and in the confidence of slumber, prevailed against him, and deposed him out of life.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Struggle, Eye, Dust

Robert Louis Stevenson (1993). “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: The Merry Men and Other Stories”, p.53, Wordsworth Editions

The ideal story is that of two people who go into love step for step, with a fluttered consciousness, like a pair of children venturing together into a dark room.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Children, Dark, Two

Robert Louis Stevenson (2015). “The Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson: Novels, Short Stories, Poems, Plays, Memoirs, Travel Sketches, Letters and Essays (Illustrated Edition): The Entire Opus of Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer, containing Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, Catriona and A Child's Garden of Verses”, p.4560, e-artnow