“Nothing is more dangerous to maidenly delicacy of speech than the run of a good library.” — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
To be a book-collector is to combine the worst characteristics of a dope fiend with those of a miser. — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
The clerisy are those who read for pleasure, but not for idleness; who read for pastime but not to kill time; who… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
The quality of what is said inevitably influences the way in which it is said, however inexperienced the writer. — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
The most original thing a writer can do is write like himself. It is also his most difficult task. — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
There is absolutely no point in sitting down to write a book unless you feel that you must write that book, or… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
May I make a suggestion, hoping it is not an impertinence? Write it down: write down what you feel. It is sometimes… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
The clerisy are those who seek, and find, delight and enlargement of life in books. The clerisy are those for whom reading… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
It is in this matter that I fall foul of so many American writers on writing; they seem to think that writing… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
The great book for you is the book that has the most to say to you at the moment when you are… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
“Conversations and jokes together, mutual rendering of good services, the reading together of sweetly phrased books, the sharing of nonsense and mutual… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
There can be no doubt that Samuel Marchbanks is one of the choice and master spirits of this age. If there were… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
Real bibliophiles do not put their books on shelves for people to look at or handle. They have no desire to show… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
Book lovers are thought by unbookish people to be gentle and unworldly, and perhaps a few of them are so. But there… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
“Who's Mrs. Gummidge?' 'If you're a good girl and get well soon I'll lend you the book.' 'Oh, somebody in a book!… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
“She herself was a victim of that lust for books which rages in the breast like a demon, and which cannot be… — Robertson Davies Copy Share Image
“...the irrational will have its say, perhaps because 'irrational' is the wrong word for it.” — Robertson Davies Copy Share
If you're going to do something that looks evil, don't smear it with icing and pretend it's good; just bloody well do it and… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it. — Robertson Davies Copy Share
Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
If I had to describe my remarks this evening frankly as if I were in police court and on oath, so to speak I… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
The people of the United States, perhaps more than any other nation in history, love to abase themselves and proclaim their unworthiness, and seem… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
I don't suppose God laughs at the people who think He doesn't exist. He's above jokes. But the devil isn't. That's one of his… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
Inactivity and deprivation of all accustomed stimulus is not rest; it is a preparation for the tomb — Robertson Davies Copy Share
“My lifelong involvement with Mrs Dempster began at 5:58 o'clock p.m. on 27 December 1908, at which time I was ten years and seven months old.” — Robertson Davies Copy Share
In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
There can be no doubt that Samuel Marchbanks is one of the choice and master spirits of this age. If there were such a… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
Nobody who looks as though he enjoyed life is ever called distinguished, though he is a man in a million. — Robertson Davies Copy Share
They're all so highly educated, you know. Education is a great shield against experience. It offers so much, ready-made and all from the best… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
Students today are a pretty solemn lot. One of the really notable achievements of the twentieth century has been to make the young old… — Robertson Davies Copy Share
