If you want a person’s faults, go to those who love him. They will not tell you, but they know. And herein lies the magnanimous courage of love, that it endures this knowledge without change.
Where these words come from
- 95% sureThese words were traced back to where they first appeared. That source is listed below.
- Familiar Studies of Men and Books, “Henry David Thoreau: His Character and Opinions” (1896 edition); Three complete consecutive sentences of Stevenson’s commentary on love and intimate friendship, not a quotation from Thoreau. Public-domain text.
- Familiar Studies of Men and Books, “Henry David Thoreau: His Character and Opinions” (1896 edition)
More from Robert Louis Stevenson
See allFiction is to the grown man what play is to the child; it is there that he changes the atmosphere and tenor of his life.
Robert Louis Stevensonto travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour.Robert Louis StevensonOf what shall a man be proud, if he is not proud of his friends?Robert Louis StevensonIn this world of imperfection we gladly welcome even partial intimacies. And if we find but one to whom we can speak out of our heart freely, with whom we can walk in love and simplicity without dissimulation, we have no ground of quarrel with the world or God.Robert Louis StevensonWith our chosen friends, on the other hand, and still more between lovers (for mutual understanding is love’s essence), the truth is easily indicated by the one and aptly comprehended by the other.Robert Louis StevensonBut we are all travellers in what John Bunyan calls the wilderness of this world—all, too, travellers with a donkey; and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend.Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevensonto travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour.Robert Louis StevensonOf what shall a man be proud, if he is not proud of his friends?Robert Louis StevensonIn this world of imperfection we gladly welcome even partial intimacies. And if we find but one to whom we can speak out of our heart freely, with whom we can walk in love and simplicity without dissimulation, we have no ground of quarrel with the world or God.Robert Louis StevensonWith our chosen friends, on the other hand, and still more between lovers (for mutual understanding is love’s essence), the truth is easily indicated by the one and aptly comprehended by the other.Robert Louis StevensonBut we are all travellers in what John Bunyan calls the wilderness of this world—all, too, travellers with a donkey; and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend.Robert Louis StevensonMore inspiration
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Eleanor RooseveltNo one can make you feel inferior without your consent.Eleanor RooseveltLittle strokes fell great oaks.Benjamin FranklinEnergy and persistence conquer all things.Benjamin FranklinWell done is better than well said.Benjamin FranklinIf there is no struggle, there is no progress.Frederick Douglass