Frederick Rolfe > Quotes

“The student of history knows no more refreshing recreation than that of nailing liars, like vermin, to the wall.”
― Frederick Rolfe, Chronicles of the House of Borgia

“Shall I tell you the difference between our Holy Father and ourselves? We see things from a single view-point. He sees things from several. We decide that the thing is as we see it. But He has seen it otherwise, and He presents it as a more or less complete coaction of its qualities. See this sapphire. Well, you see the face of it: underneath, if I take it off my finger, there are a number of facets to be seen and a number more which are hidden by the gold of the setting. Now my meaning is that our Holy Father has seen all the facets as well as the table of the sapphire, or the thing. Consequently He knows a great deal more about the sapphire, or the thing, than we do. You must have noted that in Him. You must have noted how that every now and then, when He deigns to explain, He makes mysteries appear most wonderfully lucid.”
― Frederick Rolfe, Hadrian the Seventh

“All His life long He had yearned to be giving. Now, under any circumstances, He always had something to give, ten words and a gesture; and people seemed so thankful for it. He was glad.”
― Frederick Rolfe, Hadrian the Seventh

“No. We never have read a line of Tolstoy. We studiously avoid doing so.”
― Frederick Rolfe, Hadrian the Seventh