--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Marriage is a friendship recognized by…" description: "\"“Marriage is a friendship recognized by the police.”\" — Robert Louis Stevenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-louis-stevenson-289_friendship_marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-t_709099.jpg" --- # Marriage is a friendship recognized by the police. ![“Marriage is a friendship recognized by the police.” quote by Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-louis-stevenson-289_friendship_marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-t_709099.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-louis-stevenson-289_friendship_marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-t_709099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-louis-stevenson-289_friendship_marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-t_709099.jpg) > ““Marriage is a friendship recognized by the police.”” [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marriage is humorously defined as a legal acknowledgment of a friendship. **In simple terms:** Marriage is a legally recognized friendship. Key Takeaway Consider the legal and social aspects of partnership. Themes friendship legal recognition humor Mood witty lighthearted Type humorous satirical When to use this quote - marriage counseling - legal advice - relationship building Key Concepts social contract friendship law Questions to Reflect On - Does legal recognition change the nature of friendship? - What are the limits of humor in describing serious institutions? A Different Perspective May down the emotional depth of marriage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) ## Related quotes > [Marriage: A friendship recognized by the police.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/marriage-a-friendship-recognized-by-the-police/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Marriage is a sort of friendship recognized by the police.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marriage-is-a-sort-of-friendship-recognized-by-the-police/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stick around long enough to be someone's friend. Because true friendship, once recognized, in its essence is effortless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/stick-around-long-enough-to-be-someone-s-friend-because-true/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Yet friendship, I believe, is essential to intellectuals. It is probably the growth hormone the mind requires as it begins its activity of producing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/yet-friendship-i-believe-is-essential-to-intellectuals-it-is-probably/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [The secret to a happy marriage is friendship and laughter. There's no alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-james/the-secret-to-a-happy-marriage-is-friendship-and-laughter-there-s-no/) [Geraldine James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-james/) > [Every good marriage must be a friendship between two people who are willing to sacrifice for the other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-george/every-good-marriage-must-be-a-friendship-between-two-people-who-are/) [Jim George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-george/) > [“Married people should be best friends; no relationship on earth needs friendship as much as marriage...Friendship in a marriage is so important. It blows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-d-hanks/married-people-should-be-best-friends-no-relationship-on-earth-needs-2/) [Marion D. Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-d-hanks/) > [Marriage and friendship were built on trust and loyalty. Not deceit and lies. Love could only be given. It could never be demanded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/marriage-and-friendship-were-built-on-trust-and-loyalty-not-deceit/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Everyone always talks about the effort you have to put into a romantic relationship or a marriage, but why would a friendship be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-raskin/everyone-always-talks-about-the-effort-you-have-to-put-into-a/) [Allison Raskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-raskin/) > [Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation, and conversation must have a common basis, and between two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/ultimately-the-bond-of-all-companionship-whether-in-marriage-or-in-3/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [You know, real life doesn't just suddenly resolve itself. You have to keep working at it. Democracy, marriage, friendship. You can't just say, 'She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viggo-mortensen/you-know-real-life-doesn-t-just-suddenly-resolve-itself-you-have-to/) [Viggo Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viggo-mortensen/) > ["Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation." -If you press me to say why I loved him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/ultimately-the-bond-of-all-companionship-whether-in-marriage-or-in-2/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/ultimately-the-bond-of-all-companionship-whether-in-marriage-or-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [One hopes, of course, that a relationship grows and becomes a deep and wonderful marriage and friendship that lasts forever. But that's not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alana-stewart/one-hopes-of-course-that-a-relationship-grows-and-becomes-a-deep-and/) [Alana Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alana-stewart/) > [“The bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-bond-of-all-companionship-whether-in-marriage-or-in-friendship-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Robert Louis Stevenson > [You must suffer me to go my own dark way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-must-suffer-me-to-go-my-own-dark-way/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Nobody speaks of a beautifful view for 5 minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/nobody-speaks-of-a-beautifful-view-for-5-minutes/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find is an honest friend. He is a fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/we-are-all-travelers-in-the-wilderness-of-this-world-and-the-best/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The little rift between the sexes is astonishingly widened by simply teaching one set of catchwords to the girls and another to the boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-little-rift-between-the-sexes-is-astonishingly-widened-by-simply/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The problem of education is twofold: first to know, and then to utter. Everyone who lives any semblance of an inner life thinks more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-problem-of-education-is-twofold-first-to-know-and-then-to-utter/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“For thirty years," he said, "I've sailed the seas and seen good and bad, better and worse, fair weather and foul, provisions running out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/for-thirty-years-he-said-i-ve-sailed-the-seas-and-seen-good-and-bad/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“Mutiny, it was plain, hung over us like a thunder-cloud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/mutiny-it-was-plain-hung-over-us-like-a-thunder-cloud/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Jealousy is the most radical primeval and naked form of admiration in war paint, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/jealousy-is-the-most-radical-primeval-and-naked-form-of-admiration-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [It is the property of things seen for the first time, or for the first time after long, like the flowers in spring, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-property-of-things-seen-for-the-first-time-or-for-the-first/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [You have no idea, unless you have tried it, how endlessly long is a summer's day, that you measure out only by hunger, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-have-no-idea-unless-you-have-tried-it-how-endlessly-long-is-a/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Do not measure success by today's harvest. Measure success by the seeds you plant today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/do-not-measure-success-by-today-s-harvest-measure-success-by-the/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [To be idle requires a strong sense of personal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/to-be-idle-requires-a-strong-sense-of-personal-identity/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Loving God, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/loving-god-help-us-remember-the-birth-of-jesus-that-we-may-share-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The friendly cow, all red and white, I love with all my heart; She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-friendly-cow-all-red-and-white-i-love-with-all-my-heart-she-gives/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) [Explore all 701 Robert Louis Stevenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## More Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) Unknow > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Marriage is a friendship recognized by the police.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Louis Stevenson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-the-police/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friendship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-the-police/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-louis-stevenson-289_friendship_marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-t_709099.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-louis-stevenson-289_friendship_marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-t_709099.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfc/robert-louis-stevenson-289_friendship_marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-t_709099.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Marriage is a friendship recognized by the police.” — Robert Louis Stevenson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Louis Stevenson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Marriage is a friendship recognized by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-the-police/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/marriage-is-a-friendship-recognized-by-the-police/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```