quotations about amusement
That which can only amuse can never amuse long.
GEORGE MACDONALD
The History of Gutta Percha Willie, the Working Genius
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
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
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
There are amusing people who do not interest ... and interesting people who do not amuse.
BENJAMIN DISRAELI
Lothair
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
Amusement should not be indulged at the expense of virtue.
QUEEN KIAM
attributed, Day's Collacon
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
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
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
Amusement is the happiness of those who cannot think.
ALEXANDER POPE
Thoughts on Various Subjects
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
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
A man who can laugh at himself is truly blessed, for he will never lack for amusement.
JAMES CARLOS BLAKE
Handsome Harry
What revels are in hand? Is there no play
To ease the anguish of a torturing hour?
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
A Midsummer Night's Dream
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
The mind ought sometimes to be amused, that it may the better return to thought.
PHAEDRUS
attributed, Day's Collacon
Serena had to cross her legs: in moments of dire amusement her bladder tended to play tricks.
A.P.
Sabine
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