AMUSEMENT QUOTES II

quotations about amusement

In studying the character of a people, our inquiry should be, what were their amusements? We here get hold of great features, which often unriddle the rest.

F. W. ROBERTSON

attributed, Day's Collacon


That which can only amuse can never amuse long.

GEORGE MACDONALD

The History of Gutta Percha Willie, the Working Genius


Amusements, though they be of an innocent kind, require steady government to keep them within a due and limited province.

HUGH BLAIR

attributed, Day's Collacon


It were unjust and ungrateful to conceive that the amusements of life are altogether forbidden by its beneficent Author; they are the wells of the desert; the kind resting-places in which toil may relax, in which the weary spirit may recover its tone, and where the desponding mind may resume its strength and its hopes.

ARCHIBALD ALISON

attributed, Day's Collacon


There are amusing people who do not interest ... and interesting people who do not amuse.

BENJAMIN DISRAELI

Lothair


Amusement should not be indulged at the expense of virtue.

QUEEN KIAM

attributed, Day's Collacon


Happiness does not consist in amusement. In fact, it would be strange if our end were amusement, and if we were to labor and suffer hardships all our life long merely to amuse ourselves.

ARISTOTLE

Nicomachean Ethics


They have a secret instinct which impels them to seek amusement and occupation abroad, and which arises from the sense of their constant unhappiness. They have another secret instinct, a remnant of the greatness of our original nature, which teaches them that happiness in reality consists only in rest and not in stir.

BLAISE PASCAL

Pensées


Amusement is the happiness of those who cannot think.

ALEXANDER POPE

Thoughts on Various Subjects


Amusements are the most properly applied, to ease and relieve those who are oppressed, by being too much employed; those that are idle have no need of them, and yet they, above all others, give themselves up to them; to unbend our thoughts, when they are too much stretched by our cares, is not more natural than it is necessary; but to turn our whole life into a holiday, is not only ridiculous, but destroyeth pleasure instead of promoting it.

HENRY SAVILE

attributed, Day's Collacon


I believe that entertainment and amusements are the work of the Enemy to keep dying men from knowing they're dying; and to keep enemies of God from remembering that they're enemies.

A.W. TOZER

attributed, goodreads


A man who can laugh at himself is truly blessed, for he will never lack for amusement.

JAMES CARLOS BLAKE

Handsome Harry


Mere innocent amusement is in itself a good, when it interferes with no greater, especially as it may occupy the place of some other that may not be innocent.

RICHARD WHATELY

The Quarterly Review, 1821


Our modern cities have become in large part agglomerations of bedroom apartments in which men and women spiritually wither away and their personalities become trivialized by the petty concerns of amusement, consumption, and small talk.

MURRAY BOOKCHIN

From Urbanization to Cities


If those who are the enemies of innocent amusements had the direction of the world, they would take away the spring and youth; the former from the year, the latter from human life.

HONORÉ DE BALZAC

attributed, A Dictionary of Quotations in Most Frequent Use


Unless we regain the art of silence and insight, the ability for non-activity, unless we substitute true leisure for our hectic amusements, we will destroy our culture--and ourselves.

JOSEF PIEPER

Leisure: The Basis of Culture


What revels are in hand? Is there no play
To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

A Midsummer Night's Dream


It is exceedingly deleterious to withdraw the sanction of religion from amusement; if we feel that it is all injurious we should strip the earth of all its flowers, and blot out its pleasant sunshine.

E.H. CHAPIN

attributed, Day's Collacon


Serena had to cross her legs: in moments of dire amusement her bladder tended to play tricks.

A.P.

Sabine


The mind ought sometimes to be amused, that it may the better return to thought.

PHAEDRUS

attributed, Day's Collacon