Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer. He is best known for his literary works such as “Treasure Island,” “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” and “Kidnapped.” Stevenson’s captivating storytelling, exploration of human nature, and adventurous spirit continue to inspire readers worldwide.
Robert Louis Stevenson Quotes
“A friend is a gift you give yourself.”
Robert Louis Stevenson Quotes
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
“To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.”
“The best things are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you.”
“Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened, but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm.”
“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.”
“To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.”
“Don’t ever degrade a heart that’s pure and kind.”
“Everyone lives by selling something.”
“The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.”
“So long as we love, we serve; so long as we are loved by others, I would almost say that we are indispensable; and no man is useless while he has a friend.”
“You can never run away from your own feet.”
“There is no duty we so underrate as the duty of being happy.”
“You cannot run away from weakness; you must some time fight it out or perish.”
“Talk is by far the most accessible of pleasures. It costs nothing in money, it is all profit, it completes our education, founds and fosters our friendships, and can be enjoyed at any age and in almost any state of health.”
“Our business in this world is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits.”
“Don’t write merely to be understood. Write so that you cannot possibly be misunderstood.”
“Every heart that has beat strong and cheerfully has left a hopeful impulse behind it in the world.”
“The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean.”
“To know what you prefer, instead of humbly saying ‘Amen’ to what the world tells you you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive.”
“To be idle requires a strong sense of personal identity.”
“The saints are the sinners who keep trying.”
“To become what we are capable of becoming is the only end of life.”
“You cannot pick cherries with your back to the tree.”
“I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me.”
“Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things.”
“Give me the young man who has brains enough to make a fool of himself.”
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.”
“Talent is a gift that brings with it an obligation to serve the world, and not ourselves, for it is not of our making.”
“Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.”
“You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us.”
“There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.”
“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.”
“The truth that is suppressed by friends is the readiest weapon of the enemy.”
“The cruelest lies are often told in silence.”
These quotes reflect Robert Louis Stevenson’s wisdom, insight, and observations on life, love, courage, and the pursuit of happiness.
