Robert Fortune Quotes

Powerful Robert Fortune for Daily Growth

About Robert Fortune

**Robert Fortune** (1814-1880) was a Scottish botanist, explorer, and spy, renowned for his significant contributions to the understanding of Chinese flora and tea industry in Britain during the Victorian era. Born on October 31, 1814, in Dundee, Scotland, Fortune displayed an early interest in natural history. He was apprenticed as a gardener at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh before moving to London to work under botanist David Don. In 1842, he published his first book, "Flora Scotia," which detailed the flora of Scotland. Fortune's career took an interesting turn when, in 1843, he was hired by the East India Company to secretly investigate and document China's tea industry. Posing as a Chinese painter, Fortune spent three years traveling across China, gathering samples of tea plants and seeds, and studying tea cultivation techniques. His findings significantly boosted Britain's tea production, leading to lower prices and increased consumption. In 1852, Fortune was appointed Superintendent of the Calcutta Botanic Garden in India. Here, he made significant contributions to the study of Indian flora, particularly in the fields of medicinal plants and rubber trees. He also wrote several influential books, including "Plant Collecting in Western Himalaya" (1856) and "Rubber and Other Vegetable Products of the Amazon Valley" (1863). Fortune returned to Scotland in 1863, where he continued his work as a botanist and author until his death on February 20, 1880. His legacy lies in his pioneering work in plant exploration, which bridged the gap between Eastern and Western botany, influencing the development of agriculture and medicine in both continents.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The secret of my success is that we have no secrets."

This quote by Robert Fortune suggests that he achieved success by operating openly, transparently, and without concealing any important information or strategies. In other words, his strategy for success was to not rely on hidden knowledge or tactics but rather to work honestly and share information freely with others. This approach fosters trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement as ideas are shared, debated, and built upon collectively.


"There is no such thing as chance; and what seems to be irregularity is generally merely a concealed uniformity."

This quote by Robert Fortune suggests that seemingly random or unpredictable events are not truly random but rather the result of underlying patterns or principles that may not immediately be apparent to us. It encourages us to look deeper, question, and seek explanations behind phenomena, as there's often a hidden order or consistency in the universe.


"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves."

This quote by Robert Fortune implies that individuals possess the power to shape their own lives and future, rather than relying on external factors such as fate or the alignment of celestial bodies. It encourages personal responsibility, self-determination, and the belief that one's destiny is in their hands through hard work, decisions, and actions.


"The more closely you look at nature, the more you will see her secret beauty and strength, without which no human beauty or strength could ever have existed."

This quote emphasizes the interconnectedness between nature and humanity. By closely examining nature's hidden aspects, one can appreciate its intrinsic beauty and inherent power. The underlying implication is that this natural beauty and strength serve as the foundation for all human beauty and strength. In essence, it suggests that our appreciation of beauty in the world stems from a deeper understanding and recognition of the beauty and power found in nature itself.


"I do not believe in coincidence. Coincidences are merely hidden facts waiting to be discovered."

This quote by Robert Fortune implies that events or circumstances, often perceived as mere coincidences, are actually part of a pattern or system yet to be understood. He suggests that there are underlying explanations behind seemingly random occurrences, and these can be discovered through careful observation and investigation. Essentially, he encourages the pursuit of knowledge by challenging us to look deeper into seemingly chance events.


The main stem was then in most cases twisted in a zigzag form, which process checked the flow of the sap, and at the same time encouraged the production of side branches at those parts of the stem where they were most desired.

- Robert Fortune

Same, Production, Main, Sap

We all know that any thing which retards in any way the free circulation of the sap, also prevents to a certain extent the formation of wood and leaves.

- Robert Fortune

Which, Extent, Also, Sap

The plants are principally kept in large pots arranged in rows along the sides of narrow paved walks, with the houses of the gardeners at the entrance through which the visitors pass to the gardens.

- Robert Fortune

Through, Which, Gardens, Narrow

Nothing of the kind; they do all these things in their houses and sheds, with common charcoal fires, and a quantity of straw to stop up the crevices in the doors and windows.

- Robert Fortune

Kind, Nothing, Quantity, Fires

There are about a dozen of these gardens, more or less extensive, according to the business or wealth of the proprietor; but they are generally smaller than the smallest of our London nurseries.

- Robert Fortune

Wealth, Smaller, Gardens, Extensive

A small species of pinus was much prized, and, when dwarfed in the manner of the Chinese, fetched a very high price; it is generally grafted on a variety of the stone pine.

- Robert Fortune

Small, Very, Prized, High Price

The Chinese, by their favourite system of dwarfing, contrive to make it, when only a foot and a half or two feet high, have all the characters of an aged cedar of Lebanon.

- Robert Fortune

Feet, Half, Aged, Lebanon

This may be done by grafting, by confining the roots, withholding water, bending the branches, or in a hundred other ways which all proceed upon the same principle.

- Robert Fortune

Withholding, Which, Hundred, Confining

Stunted varieties were generally chosen, particularly if they had the side branches opposite or regular, for much depends upon this; a one-sided tree is of no value in the eyes of the Chinese.

- Robert Fortune

Depends, Side, Particularly, Branches

The tree was evidently aged, from the size of its stem. It was about six feet high, the branches came out from the stem in a regular and symmetrical manner, and it had all the appearance of a tree in miniature.

- Robert Fortune

Tree, Feet, Six, Branches

As the lower parts of the Japanese houses and shops are open both before and behind, I had peeps of these pretty little gardens as I passed along the streets; and wherever I observed one better than the rest I did not fail to pay it a visit.

- Robert Fortune

Behind, Streets, Gardens, Observed

The plants which stand next to dwarf trees in importance with the Chinese are certainly chrysanthemums, which they manage extremely well, perhaps better than they do any other plant.

- Robert Fortune

Next, Which, Certainly, Manage

When these suckers had formed roots in the open ground, or kind of nursery where they were planted, they were looked over and the best taken up for potting.

- Robert Fortune

Over, Planted, Looked, Formed

Sometimes, as is the case of peach and plum trees, which are often dwarfed, the plants are thrown into a flowering states, and then, as they flower freely year after year, they have little inclination to make vigorous growth.

- Robert Fortune

Gardening, Plum, Which, Freely

Nature generally struggles against this treatment for a while, until her powers seem in a great measure exhausted, when she quietly yields to the power of the art.

- Robert Fortune

Nature, Art, Treatment, Powers

The dwarfed trees of the Chinese and Japanese have been noticed by every author who has written upon these countries, and all have attempted to give some description of the method by which the effect is produced.

- Robert Fortune

Give, Some, Which, Attempted

No doubt these rocky islands have suggested the idea worked out in gardens, and they have been well imitated.

- Robert Fortune

Idea, Been, Gardens, Islands

So high do these plants stand in the favour of the Chinese gardener, that he will cultivate them extensively, even against the wishes of his employer; and, in many instances, rather leave his situation than give up the growth of his favourite flower.

- Robert Fortune

Against, Rather, Favour, Flower

Junipers are generally chosen for the latter purpose, as they can be more readily bent into the desired form; the eyes and tongue are added afterwards, and the representation altogether is really good.

- Robert Fortune

Purpose, Afterwards, Readily, Latter

One marked feature of the people, both high and low, is a love for flowers.

- Robert Fortune

Love, Gardening, Marked, Feature

We are told that the first part of the process is to select the very smallest seeds from the smallest plants, which is not at all unlikely, but I cannot speak to the fact from my own observation.

- Robert Fortune

Process, Very, Which, Unlikely

These gardens may be called the gardens of the respectable working classes.

- Robert Fortune

May, Gardens, Classes, Respectable

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.