Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

48 Inspiring Quotes By Robert Louis Stevenson, The Renowned Scottish Novelist

Famous As: Author of Famous Novels: 'Treasure Island' and 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'
Born On: November 13, 1850
Died On: December 3, 1894
Born In: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died At Age: 44

Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson was renowned Scottish travel writer, novelist, essayist and poet who gained recognition for his novels and short stories. Apart from fiction, he made significant contributions to history, anthropology, and also penned biographies. Owing to his ailing health due to weak lungs, Louis was confined to bed for a long time during his childhood. He took lessons from tutors at home who taught him ‘Arabian nights’, ‘Shakespeare’, and ‘The Old testament’. He was fascinated with books not for what they were, but the roots, stories and morals they contained. Many say that Louis travelled in order to escape his illness and that made him a great travel writer. But the travelling that he did with his grandfather, preaching in distant countries seemed to be his motivation. His characters looked as real as possible, revolving around incidents, places, professions and incidents that would contribute to a great story. ‘Treasure Island’, ‘Kidnapped’, ‘A Child's Garden of Verses’, ‘Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ are some of his iconic works. His writings, thoughts, quotes, essays and books will surely serve as a guiding light in stormy nights. In appreciation for this legendary author, we have compiled some of his best quotations on life, travel, books, solitude, punishment, secret, happiness, self-discovery and joy.

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Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.

Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.

Robert Louis Stevenson
I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.

I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.

Robert Louis Stevenson
I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move.

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move.

Robert Louis Stevenson
There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. By being happy we sow anonymous benefits upon the world.

There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy. By being happy we sow anonymous benefits upon the world.

Robert Louis Stevenson
We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.

We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest friend.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.

Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.

Robert Louis Stevenson
You think those dogs will not be in heaven! I tell you they will be there long before any of us.

You think those dogs will not be in heaven! I tell you they will be there long before any of us.

Robert Louis Stevenson
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.

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.

Robert Louis Stevenson
The cruelest lies are often told in silence.

The cruelest lies are often told in silence.

Robert Louis Stevenson
There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.

There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.

Robert Louis Stevenson
A friend is a gift you give yourself.

A friend is a gift you give yourself.

Robert Louis Stevenson
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.

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.

Robert Louis Stevenson
If he be Mr. Hyde

If he be Mr. Hyde" he had thought, "I shall be Mr. Seek.

Robert Louis Stevenson
To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.

To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.

Robert Louis Stevenson
The saints are the sinners who keep on trying.

The saints are the sinners who keep on trying.

Robert Louis Stevenson
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.

You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.

Robert Louis Stevenson
It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it.

It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it.

Robert Louis Stevenson
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 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.

Robert Louis Stevenson
If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also.

If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Wine is bottled poetry.

Wine is bottled poetry.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Sir, with no intention to take offence, I deny your right to put words into my mouth.

Sir, with no intention to take offence, I deny your right to put words into my mouth.

Robert Louis Stevenson
The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.

The difficulty of literature is not to write, but to write what you mean; not to affect your reader, but to affect him precisely as you wish.

Robert Louis Stevenson
There are two things that men should never weary of, goodness and humility; we get none too much of them in this rough world among cold, proud people.

There are two things that men should never weary of, goodness and humility; we get none too much of them in this rough world among cold, proud people.

Robert Louis Stevenson
You cannot run away from a weakness, you must sometimes fight it out or perish. And if that be so, why not now and where you stand?

You cannot run away from a weakness, you must sometimes fight it out or perish. And if that be so, why not now and where you stand?

Robert Louis Stevenson
You must suffer me to go my own dark way.

You must suffer me to go my own dark way.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Everyone, at some time or another, sits down to a banquet of consequences.

Everyone, at some time or another, sits down to a banquet of consequences.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Fifteen men on the Dead Man's Chest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the rest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!

Fifteen men on the Dead Man's Chest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the rest Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!

Robert Louis Stevenson
I sat in the sun on a bench; the animal within me licking the chops of memory; the spiritual side a little drowsed, promising subsequent penitence, but not yet moved to begin.

I sat in the sun on a bench; the animal within me licking the chops of memory; the spiritual side a little drowsed, promising subsequent penitence, but not yet moved to begin.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Our business in life is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits.

Our business in life is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits.

Robert Louis Stevenson
I regard you with an indifference closely bordering on aversion.

I regard you with an indifference closely bordering on aversion.

Robert Louis Stevenson
There comes an end to all things; the most capacious measure is filled at last; and this brief condescension to evil finally destroyed the balance of my soul.

There comes an end to all things; the most capacious measure is filled at last; and this brief condescension to evil finally destroyed the balance of my soul.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Make the most of the best and the least of the worst.

Make the most of the best and the least of the worst.

Robert Louis Stevenson
The world is so full of a number of things, I ’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.

The world is so full of a number of things, I ’m sure we should all be as happy as kings.

Robert Louis Stevenson
All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone, in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.

All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone, in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business, is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things.

Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business, is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Many's the long night I've dreamed of cheese--toasted mostly.

Many's the long night I've dreamed of cheese--toasted mostly.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Everyday courage has few witnesses. But yours is no less noble because no drum beats for you and no crowds shout your name.

Everyday courage has few witnesses. But yours is no less noble because no drum beats for you and no crowds shout your name.

Robert Louis Stevenson
It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire.

It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire.

Robert Louis Stevenson
She had an evil face, smoothed by hypocrisy; but her manners were excellent.

She had an evil face, smoothed by hypocrisy; but her manners were excellent.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Books are good enough in their own way but they are a mighty bloodless substitute for life.

Books are good enough in their own way but they are a mighty bloodless substitute for life.

Robert Louis Stevenson
You start a question, and it's like starting a stone. You sit quietly on the top of a hill; and away the stone goes, starting others...

You start a question, and it's like starting a stone. You sit quietly on the top of a hill; and away the stone goes, starting others...

Robert Louis Stevenson
Jekyll had more than a father's interest; Hyde had more than a son's indifference.

Jekyll had more than a father's interest; Hyde had more than a son's indifference.

Robert Louis Stevenson
There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.

There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Seaward ho! Hang the treasure! It's the glory of the sea that has turned my head.

Seaward ho! Hang the treasure! It's the glory of the sea that has turned my head.

Robert Louis Stevenson
Compromise is the best and cheapest lawyer

Compromise is the best and cheapest lawyer

Robert Louis Stevenson
Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end.

Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end.

Robert Louis Stevenson
An intelligent person, looking out of his eyes and hearkening in his ears, with a smile on his face all the time, will get more true education than many another in a life of heroic vigils

An intelligent person, looking out of his eyes and hearkening in his ears, with a smile on his face all the time, will get more true education than many another in a life of heroic vigils".

Robert Louis Stevenson