“And the joke of it was that the man who went out to look for adventure only saw a bit of the game, and I who sat in my chambers saw it all and pulled the strings. 'They also serve who only stand and wait,' you know.”

—  John Buchan , book The Power-House

Preface
The Power-House (1916)
Context: I once played the chief part in a rather exciting business without ever once budging from London. And the joke of it was that the man who went out to look for adventure only saw a bit of the game, and I who sat in my chambers saw it all and pulled the strings. 'They also serve who only stand and wait,' you know.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "And the joke of it was that the man who went out to look for adventure only saw a bit of the game, and I who sat in my …" by John Buchan?
John Buchan photo
John Buchan 145
British politician 1875–1940

Related quotes

Sri Aurobindo photo

“I looked and it was not the Magistrate whom I saw, it was Vasudeva, it was Narayana who was sitting there on the bench. I looked at the Prosecuting Counsel and it was not the Counsel for the prosecution that I saw; it was Sri Krishna who sat there, it was my Lover and Friend who sat there and smiled. "Now do you fear?" He said, "I am in all men and I overrule their actions and their words. My protection is still with you and you shall not fear. This case which is brought against you, leave it in my hand. It is not for you. It was not for the trial that I brought you here but for something else. The case itself is only a means for my work and nothing more."”

Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, philosopher, yogi, guru and poet

The Uttarpara Address (1909)

John Milton photo

“Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best: his state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.”

John Milton (1608–1674) English epic poet

Attributed to Auguste Rodin in: Leonard William Doob (1990). Hesitation: Impulsivity and Reflection. p. 124
Source: On His Blindness (1652)

John Milton photo

“Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best: his state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.”

John Milton (1608–1674) English epic poet

On His Blindness (1652)

Compare "Patience is also a form of action." Attributed to Auguste Rodin in: Leonard William Doob (1990). Hesitation: Impulsivity and Reflection. p. 124

J. F. C. Fuller photo

“In 1919 I was the sole person who saw war in the form it would be; yet saw it only as an acorn and not as an oak.”

J. F. C. Fuller (1878–1966) British Army general

Quoted in Men Against Fire. S.L.A. Marshall (1947), p. 27.

Nicholas Sparks photo

“Mitch…was the kind of man who added something to everything he touched and everyone he came in contact with. I was envious of his view on life. He saw it all as a big game, where the only way to win was to be good to other people, to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and like what you see.”

Nicholas Sparks (1965) American writer and novelist

Taylor McAden, Chapter 25, p. 300
2000s, The Rescue (2000)

Alan Moore photo

“… My point is, I went crazy. When I saw what a black, awful joke the world was. I went crazy as a coot! I admit it! Why can't you?”

Alan Moore book Batman: The Killing Joke

Source: Batman: The Killing Joke

Samuel Rutherford photo

“Be not cast down. If ye saw Him who is standing on the shore, holding out His arms to welcome you to land, ye would wade, not only through a sea of wrongs, but through hell itself to be with Him.”

Samuel Rutherford (1600–1661) Scottish Reformed theologian

Source: Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895), P. 253.

Mansur Al-Hallaj photo

“I saw my Lord with the eye of my heart.
He said, "Who are you?" I said, "I am You."
You are He Who fills all place
But place does not know where You are.
In my subsistence is my annihilation;
In my annihilation, I remain You.”

Mansur Al-Hallaj (858–922) Persian mystic, revolutionary writer and teacher of Sufism

Mysticism and Philosophical Analysis (1978) by Steven T. Katz, p. 92; four centuries later the Christian mystic Meister Eckhart would make a very similar assertion: "The eye with which I see God is the same with which God sees me. My eye and God's eye is one eye, and one sight, and one knowledge, and one love."
Variant translations:
I saw my Lord with the eye of the heart. I asked: Who art Thou? <br/> He answered: Thou.
As quoted in Sufism : The Mystical Doctrines and Methods of Islam (1976) by William Stoddart , p. 83
I saw my Lord with the eye of the heart
And said: "Who are you?" He answered: "You!
As quoted in In the Company of Friends : Dreamwork Within a Sufi Group (1994) by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, p. 86
I saw my Lord with the eye of the heart, and I said "Who are you?" and he said "Your Self."
As quoted in The Modern Alchemist : A Guide to Personal Transformation (1994) by Iona Miller, p. 119
I saw my Lord with the Eye of my heart,<br/> And I said: Truly there is no doubt that it is You.<br/> It is You that I see in everything;<br/> And I do not see You through anything (but You).
As quoted in "Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj" at Sidi Muhammad Press http://www.sufimaster.org/teachings/husayn.htm

Eric Cantona photo

“He was the only player I saw who the manager never had a go at. We all went to a film premiere and were told to wear black ties. Eric turned up in a cream lemon suit with Nike trainers. The manager told him that he looked fantastic!”

Eric Cantona (1966) French actor and association football player

http://www.insideworldsoccer.com/2009/10/fergie-never-had-go-at-cantona-andy.html
Andy Cole, former Manchester United teammate of Cantona.

Related topics