The way to go to the circus, however, is with…

The way to go to the circus, however, is with someone who has seen perhaps one theatrical performance before in his life and that in the High School hall…. The scales of sophistication are struck from your eyes and you see in the circus a gathering of men and women who are able to do things as a matter of course which you couldn’t do if your life depended on it.

Sourced

LIFE magazine (14 April 1921)

Other Robert Benchley Quotes

Streets flooded. Please advise. (telegram to his editor upon arrival in Venice ) - View Quote Details on Streets flooded. Please advise. (telegram to his editor upon arrival…
A baby is shown sitting on the floor. He appears to be about a year and a half old. Incidentally, he is a very plain baby. Strewn about him on the floor are the toys that he has been playing with. There are a ball, a rattle, a ring, a doll, a bell and a pair of roller-skates. Evidently, the candidate is supposed to be aghast at the roller-skates in the possession of such a small child.
The man who drew that picture had evidently never furnished playthings for a small child. I can imagine nothing that would delight a child of a year and a half more than a pair of roller-skates to chew and spin and hit himself in the face with. They could also be dropped on Daddy when Daddy was lying on the floor in an attempt to be sociable. Of all the toys arranged before the child, the roller-skates are the most logical…. That is my great trouble in taking tests and examinations of any kind. I always want to argue with the examiner, because the examiner is always so obviously wrong. - View Quote Details on A baby is shown sitting on the floor. He appears…
Great literature must spring from an upheaval in the author’s soul. If that upheaval is not present then it must come from the works of any other author which happens to be handy and easily adapted. - View Quote Details on Great literature must spring from an upheaval in the author’s…
It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous. - View Quote Details on It took me fifteen years to discover that I had…
I don’t want to be an alarmist, but I think that the Younger Generation is up to something…. I base my apprehension on nothing more definite than the fact that they are always coming in and going out of the house, without any apparent reason. - View Quote Details on I don’t want to be an alarmist, but I think…
I am more the inspirational type of speller. I work on hunches rather than mere facts, and the result is sometimes open to criticism by purists. - View Quote Details on I am more the inspirational type of speller. I work…
At fifteen one is first beginning to realize that everything isn’t money and power in this world, and is casting about for joys that do not turn to dross in one’s hands. - View Quote Details on At fifteen one is first beginning to realize that everything…
Anyone can do any amount of work provided it isn’t the work he is supposed to be doing at the moment. - View Quote Details on Anyone can do any amount of work provided it isn’t…
The free-lance writer is a man who is paid per piece or per word or perhaps. - View Quote Details on The free-lance writer is a man who is paid per…
Dachshunds are ideal dogs for small children, as they are already stretched and pulled to such a length that the child cannot do much harm one way or the other. - View Quote Details on Dachshunds are ideal dogs for small children, as they are…