The little boy nodded at the peony and the peony seemed to nod back. The little boy was neat, clean and pretty. The peony was unchaste, dishevelled as peonies must be, and at the height of its beauty.(...) Every hour is filled with such moments, big with significance for someone.

Companion of the Order of Canada. Along with the Examiner newspaper they owned the Kingston Whig-Standard newspaper CHEX-AM CKWS-AM CHEX-TV and CKWS-TV. He also participated in theatrical productions as a child when he developed a lifelong interest in drama.

William Robertson Davies CC OOnt FRSC FRSL (August 28 1913 – December 2 1995) was a Canadian novelist playwright critic journalist and professor. Davies was the founding Master of Massey College a graduate residential college associated with the University of Toronto.