Sean Russell Quotes

32 Sourced Quotes

One of the lessons of age, he said softly. Do not waste what time you have in regret.

Sean Russell
They fear others—that is why they sought positions of power. Their greatest dream is to have a King who dances when they move the threads: and for Massenet, to marry his child to the heir of Entonne, and sit his grandson upon the throne. The ordinary desires of those who rise to such positions. In their appetites, they are not men of great originality. Though they will do enormous harm in spite of that.

Sean Russell
Men who were used to subordinating others to their wills were invariably surprised by rebellion—as though this imaginary prison they created was, in fact, real.

Sean Russell
If a man's deeds do not outlive him, of what value is a mark in stone?

Sean Russell
No man of the first rank is ever satisfied with his accomplishments, no matter what others make of them.

Sean Russell
I am a trained empiricist, sir. Superstition is not compatible with my pursuits.

Sean Russell
Wood is a gift from the world of nature to we undeserving men... One should be thankful for such gifts, take no more than we need, and waste none of that.

Sean Russell
Tristam stood and raised his glass. May life be kind, and friends loyal. Ventures profitable, children plentiful, and age like a slow turning of the leaves in autumn; grand, beautiful and tranquil.

Sean Russell
Roderick has been known to have titles and estates granted to those in his circle for accomplishing nothing more than constant agreement with his opinions, but those he has not befriended could save the kingdom and hardly receive a note of thanks. It is the way of the court and courtiers. But not everyone is so blind.

Sean Russell
We continue to negotiate the treaty, endlessly apparently, to everyone's continuing loss. He smiled wryly. You know how such things go. We no longer debate to gain real advantage but to come away from the table having created the perception that we have somehow won. 'Politics,' this is called.

Sean Russell
Man, he suspected, had a particular genius for complicating things, for creating social hurdles that one must leap or be thought lacking.

Sean Russell
Not only had he become adept at predicting the behavior of others, but he could predict his own behavior just as well. He no longer surprised himself. It was one of the saddest things about aging.

Sean Russell
Never, he said firmly, be intimidated by a person because of the size of house in which they were born.

Sean Russell
The carriage, Tristam realized, was becoming the metaphor for this period of his life: he neither owned, drove, nor directed one in any way but was simply carried along.

Sean Russell
Experience taught him that the future was uncertain and one could prepare for it only by learning indifference to disappointment and loss.

Sean Russell
Their superstitions will allow them to believe things without much critical thought.

Sean Russell
Well, perhaps you have begun your journey toward wisdom, Mr. Flattery, Kent said seriously. We have such a short time and the journey is so terribly long. One cannot begin too soon.

Sean Russell
My older cousins teased us—my sisters and brothers—with tales that Erasmus Flattery was a mage. We were all struck dumb in his presence, terrified that he would practice some enchantment upon us. In truth, we always hoped to see some magic, but of course we never did. She laughed again. Children do love to believe such things.

Sean Russell
It was difficult to believe these things had taken place such a very long time ago. The events seemed distant, as though he had only read about them and not experienced them at all. He knew that at this point his death was far closer, far more tangible. That was something he could almost touch. One could feel one's mortal form progressing slowly to ruin, like that old abbey—the signs were undeniable. Things went wrong inside a man and did not come right again. That was the truth that hung over one's head like a blade. Injuries and illnesses were no longer easily repaired. And as with some part of a painting that he could never get right, the great danger was to see nothing but what was wrong. The trap of age.

Sean Russell
Soldiers, Your Highness. Men trained not to think for themselves.

Sean Russell
The only thing of which we can be sure—time passes—everything else is vanity.

Sean Russell
They say wine will kill you slowly. He nodded his head solemnly. But that's all right, we're in no hurry.

Sean Russell
I have tried to find some explanation that does not rely on logic, but once the borders of rationality have been removed I cannot imagine what should take their place. How does one begin to measure? What standards should one apply?
The prince understood what she meant. Once reason was no longer your guide, you were like a man stranded in a featureless landscape. There were no landmarks to use. One direction was as likely to yield results as any other.

Sean Russell
Dandish was the ideal empiricist. Pushing back the borders of ignorance, that was his only reason for living.

Sean Russell
There was no question in Tristam's mind now that if one stared into the semidarkness long enough one would find whatever one sought. What the eye could not locate the mind would manufacture.

Sean Russell
Ironically, or so it seemed to Tristam, the day was perfect and the green countryside rolled past in ordered tranquillity, the death of a single man having shockingly little impact on the larger world.

Sean Russell
There were no sounds of men, here; only the whisperings of the world of nature, which men often called silence.

Sean Russell
I do not want to end up like Stern, Tristam thought: the dutiful servant, silently chewing his resentment, hoping, pitifully, that his sacrifice would one day be rewarded.

Sean Russell
Observations interpreted by reason. Few, if any, ideas have had such impact on the lives of men.

Sean Russell
Tristam, the old man said softly. If I may be completely candid, you are the poorest liar. Lack of experience, no doubt—which is to your credit.

Sean Russell