8 Hauntingly Beautiful J.M. Barrie Quotes

Happy birthday, Sir Barrie!

J.M. Barrie, famous for penning the original novel that inspired Peter Pan, was born on this day in 1860.

To commemorate, we’ve put together some of our favorite Barrie quotes (no, we didn’t just focus on Peter Pan… though we couldn’t omit it entirely). We chose some of our favorite spine-tingling and thought-provoking quotes commenting on life and death. We hope you enjoy!

Also, head over to eNotes to learn more about J.M. Barrie and his works: The Little Minister, The Admirable Crichton, and Peter Pan.

The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another; and his humblest hour is when he compares the volume as it is with what he vowed to make it. J.M. Barrie, The Little Minister

I am not young enough to know everything. - J.M. Barrie, The Admirable Crichton
“When you were a bird you knew the fairies pretty well, and you remember a good deal about them in your babyhood, which it is a great pity you can't write down, for gradually you forget, and I have heard of children who declared that they had never once seen a fairy.” ― J.M. Barrie, The Little White Bird
Life and death, the child and the mother, are ever meeting as the one draws into harbour and the other sets sail. They exchange a bright "All's well" and pass on. J.M. Barrie, The Little White Bird
There is almost nothing that has such a keen sense of fun as a fallen leaf.  J.M. Barrie, The Little White Bird
“I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
“Stars are beautiful, but they may not take part in anything, they must just look on forever.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan