The people who are always monkeying with these great books to make them fully (comprehensible) have no friend in me, for in their realm the fully comprehensible is not worth comprehending.

Quote by Robertson Davies

Topics: Books Quotes

Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors...

Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors...

If we seek the pleasures of love, passion should be occasional and common sense continual.

If we seek the pleasures of love, passion should be occasional and common sense continual.

If I had my way books would not be written in English, but in an...

If I had my way books would not be written in English, but in an...

The young are often accused of exaggerating their troubles; they do so, very often, in...

The young are often accused of exaggerating their troubles; they do so, very often, in...

May I make a suggestion, hoping it is not an impertinence? Write it down: write...

May I make a suggestion, hoping it is not an impertinence? Write it down: write...

Fanaticism is overcompensation for doubt.

Fanaticism is overcompensation for doubt.

We wanted to meet him, for though we were neither of us naive people we...

We wanted to meet him, for though we were neither of us naive people we...

The greatest gift that Oxford gives her sons is, I truly believe, a genial irreverence...

The greatest gift that Oxford gives her sons is, I truly believe, a genial irreverence...

The great book for you is the book that has the most to say to...

The great book for you is the book that has the most to say to...

If I had my way books would not be written in English, but in an...

If I had my way books would not be written in English, but in an...

Literary critics, however, frequently suffer from a curious belief that every author longs to extend...

Literary critics, however, frequently suffer from a curious belief that every author longs to extend...

The love that dare not speak its name has become the love that won't shut...

The love that dare not speak its name has become the love that won't shut...

You never see what you want to see, forever playing to the gallery.

You never see what you want to see, forever playing to the gallery.

Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors...

Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors...

Do not suppose, however, that I intend to urge a diet of classics on anybody....

Do not suppose, however, that I intend to urge a diet of classics on anybody....

A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more...

A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more...

The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.

The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.

Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of...

Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of...

Their very conservatism is secondhand, and they don't know what they are conserving.

Their very conservatism is secondhand, and they don't know what they are conserving.

I do not 'get' ideas; ideas get me.

I do not 'get' ideas; ideas get me.