Walter Scott

Walter Scott

18 quotes

The Scottish novelist Walter Scott is someone whose pithy observations have become part of everyday conversation. Beyond his Waverley novels (1814–1831), which were, for nearly a century, among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe, Walter Scott proved equally skilled at capturing ideas in a sentence or two. Browse 27 quotes by Walter Scott that cover ground from Success, Power, Attitude, Age, and Wisdom. One standout: "A rusty nail placed near a faithful compass, will sway it from the truth, and wreck the argosy."

“He is the best sailor who can steer within fewest points of the wind, and exact a motive power out of the greatest obstacles.”

— Walter Scott

Best

All Quotes by Walter Scott

“O! many a shaft, at random sent, Finds mark the archer little meant! And many a word, at random spoken, May soothe or wound a heart that's broken!”

— Walter Scott

Movingon

“Unless a tree has borne blossoms in spring, you will vainly look for fruit on it in autumn.”

— Walter Scott

Nature

“To all, to each, a fair good-night, and pleasing dreams, and slumbers light.”

— Walter Scott

Dreams

“Look back, and smile on perils past.”

— Walter Scott

Smile

“For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.”

— Walter Scott

Attitude

“When thinking about companions gone, we feel ourselves doubly alone.”

— Walter Scott

Alone

“A rusty nail placed near a faithful compass, will sway it from the truth, and wreck the argosy.”

— Walter Scott

Truth

“All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.”

— Walter Scott

Education

“Success or failure in business is caused more by the mental attitude even than by mental capacities.”

— Walter Scott

Attitude

“Teach you children poetry it opens the mind, lends grace to wisdom and makes the heroic virtues hereditary.”

— Walter Scott

Poetry

“There is a vulgar incredulity, which in historical matters, as well as in those of religion, finds it easier to doubt than to examine.”

— Walter Scott

Religion

“Success - keeping your mind awake and your desire asleep.”

— Walter Scott

Success

“One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name.”

— Walter Scott

Age

“He is the best sailor who can steer within fewest points of the wind, and exact a motive power out of the greatest obstacles.”

— Walter Scott

Best

“It is wonderful what strength of purpose and boldness and energy of will are roused by the assurance that we are doing our duty.”

— Walter Scott

Strength

“A lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect.”

— Walter Scott

History

“The race of mankind would perish did they cease to aid each other. We cannot exist without mutual help. All therefore that need aid have a right to ask it from their fellow-men and no one who has the power of granting can refuse it without guilt.”

— Walter Scott

Power

“Each age has deemed the new-born year the fittest time for festal cheer.”

— Walter Scott

Age