Robertson Davies Quotes

I, at the age of 17 or 18 as a medical student, suddenly came up against a problem: 'What am I? What is the meaning of my existence as I experience it?'

A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight.

Man tells his aspiration in his God; but in his demon he shows his depth of experience.

At the age of 60, I am less experimental and more mature. I want most of all to convey my understanding of life.

A lot of music you might listen to is pretty vapid, it doesn't always deal with our deeper issues. These are the things I'm interested in now, particularly at my age.

I've got volumes on how not to behave. I've got more information now than a guy should have at my age.

As I get older and I get a few more years experience I become more like Dad, you know, King Lear.

Bitter experience has taught us how fundamental our values are and how great the mission they represent.

Just live life. That's the best way to learn how to act. Just live.

I remember when I was 33 or 34, it was devastating because I realized I wasn't a kid anymore. The great thing about 40 was that I really felt like I had life experience and knew what I was doing now.

If I stay alert, then I can challenge myself, and by challenging myself, that helps me to stay alive and to hopefully take something away from the experience.

Many years ago, I used to say, 'I haven't lived long enough to be great.' Now I don't say that.

Life is the only real counselor; wisdom unfiltered through personal experience does not become a part of the moral tissue.

I think it's important to figure out you and to have fun and to be dating and to figure out what you like and what you don't like. It's what growing up is all about.

I think that no matter how old you get, you are always learning about yourself.

My college experience was like everyone else's. I learned a lot. I gained a new perspective on the world and on people that I'm so thankful and appreciative for.

I'm very grateful, but at the same time, I'm glad all this happened when I'm 36 instead of 26 because I - I'm just such a homebody, and I just want to write songs and make the best record that I can.

I don't look at anything in my life as achievements. I look at them as experiences.

One needs only to get old to become milder; I don't see anyone make a mistake I hadn't also made.

I'm older, and I wish that a lot of things that I did in my life, I didn't do, but I'm able to talk about it.

As you get old, you live and learn.

Nobody will use other people's experience, nor have any of his own till it is too late to use it.

A man of over thirty might be held to be at the height of his powers, but not necessarily of his wisdom.

You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly.