1850–1894
Robert Louis Stevenson
Scottish writer of Treasure Island who spent his last years in Samoa. His essays in Virginibus Puerisque (1881) defend hope, idleness and happiness.
Every line we carry
Each one links to its source, what it means, and the shirt in any of our looks.
- To travel hopefully is better than to arrive.
Stevenson says arrival is often a letdown, while hopeful travel is full of life. The journey is where you actually live. Enjoy the road.
El Dorado (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881), Original English (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881)
- The true success is to labour.
Success is not the finish line but the honest work along the way. If you are working at something you care about, you are already succeeding. Keep at it.
El Dorado (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881), Original English (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881)
- No duty is so underrated as the duty of being happy.
Stevenson says happy people spread unseen benefits to everyone around them. Your mood is not only your business. Being cheerful is a gift to others.
An Apology for Idlers (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881), Original English (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881)
- Extreme busyness is a symptom of deficient vitality.
Constant busyness can hide a lack of real life. Stevenson praises the ability to enjoy idle time. Slow down enough to notice you are alive.
An Apology for Idlers (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881), Original English (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881)
- A happy person walks in like another candle being lit.
Stevenson says a happy person is worth more than money found in the street. They make a room brighter just by entering. Be that light.
An Apology for Idlers (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881), Original English (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881)
- The cruellest lies are often told in silence.
You can betray a friend without saying a word, by not speaking up. Stevenson says many loves have died from pride or shyness. Say what needs saying.
Truth of Intercourse (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881), Original English (Virginibus Puerisque, 1881)