Robert Southwell Quotes

• The path to Heaven is narrow, rough and full of wearisome and trying ascents, nor can it be trodden without great toil; and therefore wrong is their way, gross their error, and assured their ruin who, after the testimony of so many thousands of saints, will not learn where to settle their footing.

  Robert Southwell

  Errors, Heaven, Trying

  Saint Robert Southwell (1822). “Mary Magdalen's Funeral Tears: The Triumphs Over Death; and An Epistle of Comfort”, p.144

  49 Copy quote

• God gave Himself to you: give yourself to God.

  Robert Southwell

  Faith, Inspiration, Giving

  21 Copy quote

• Not where I breathe, but where I love, I live.

  Robert Southwell

  Love, Breathe, Live Love

  Saint Robert Southwell (1856). “The poetical works of the Rev. Robert Southwell”, p.68

  16 Copy quote

• When Fortune smiles, I smile to think how quickly she will frown.

  Robert Southwell

  Smile, Thinking, Frowning

  Saint Robert Southwell (1856). “The Poetical Works of the Rev. Robert Southwell”, p.59

  11 Copy quote

• The saddest birds a season find to sing,The roughest storm a calm may soon allay;Thus with succeeding turns God tempereth all,That men may hope to rise yet fear to fall.

  Robert Southwell

  Fall, Men, Bird

  Saint Robert Southwell (1856). “The poetical works of the Rev. Robert Southwell”, p.47

  11 Copy quote

• Christianity is warfare, and Christians are spiritualsoldiers.

  Robert Southwell

  Faith, Christian, Warfare

  7 Copy quote

• Few have all they need, none all they wish.

  Robert Southwell

  Wish, Needs

  7 Copy quote

• I feel no care of coin,Well-doing is my wealth;My mind to me an empire is,While grace affordeth health.

  Robert Southwell

  Grace, Mind, Coins

  Saint Robert Southwell (1856). “The Poetical Works of the Rev. Robert Southwell”, p.58

  10 Copy quote

• What thought can think, another thought can mend.

  Robert Southwell

  Thinking

  Robert Southwell (1856). “Poetical Works”, p.49

  7 Copy quote

• My conscience is my crown,Contented thoughts my rest;My heart is happy in itself,My bliss is in my breast.Enough I reckon wealth;A mean the surest lot,That lies too high for base contempt,Too low for envy's shot.

  Robert Southwell

  Lying, Heart, Mean

  Robert Southwell (1856). “The poetical works of the rev. Robert Southwell, now first completely ed. by W. B. Turnbull”, p.57

  7 Copy quote

• Where sin was hatch'd, let tears now wash the nest, Where life was lost, recover life with cries.

  Robert Southwell

  Tears, Saint, Nests

  "The poetical works of the Rev. Robert Southwell".

  7 Copy quote

• Man's mind a mirror is of heavenly sights,A brief wherein all marvels summèd lie,Of fairest forms and sweetest shapes the store,Most graceful all, yet thought may grace them more.

  Robert Southwell

  Lying, Men, Mirrors

  Robert Southwell, “Look Home”

  7 Copy quote

• Times go by turns, and chances change by course, from foul to fair, from better hap to worse.

  Robert Southwell

  Chance, Foul, Turns

  'Times go by Turns' (1595).

  9 Copy quote

• Shun delays, they breed remorse;Take thy time while time is lent thee;Creeping snails have weakest force,Fly their fault lest thou repent thee.Good is best when soonest wrought,Linger'd labours come to nought.

  Robert Southwell

  Delay, Faults, Force

  6 Copy quote

• I wealthiest am when richest in remorse.

  Robert Southwell

  Saint, Remorse

  Saint Robert Southwell (1872). “The Complete Poems of Robert Southwell”, p.40

  7 Copy quote

• Plough not the seas, sow not the sands,Leave off your idle pain;Seek other mistress for your minds,Love's service is in vain.

  Robert Southwell

  Pain, Mind Love, Sea

  Robert Southwell (1856). “The poetical works of the rev. Robert Southwell, now first completely ed. by W. B. Turnbull”, p.65

  4 Copy quote

• Hoist up sail while gale doth last, Tide and wind stay no man's pleasure.

  Robert Southwell

  Inspirational, Funny, Men

  Robert Southwell (1856). “The poetical works of the rev. Robert Southwell, now first completely ed. by W. B. Turnbull”, p.60

  7 Copy quote

• No joy so great but runneth to an end,No hap so hard but may in fine amend.

  Robert Southwell

  Joy, May, Ends

  Saint Robert Southwell (1856). “The poetical works of the Rev. Robert Southwell”, p.47

  7 Copy quote

• As in hoary winter's night stood shivering in the snow,Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear.

  Robert Southwell

  Heart, Eye, Winter

  "The Burning Babe" l. 1 (ca. 1590)

  7 Copy quote

• My mind to me an empire is.

  Robert Southwell

  Mind, Empires

  Saint Robert Southwell, William Joseph Walter (1817). “St. Peter's Complaint: And Other Poems”, p.55

  9 Copy quote

• Behold a silly tender babe,In freezing winter night,In homely manger trembling lies;Alas! a piteous sight.

  Robert Southwell

  Lying, Silly, Winter

  Saint Robert Southwell, William Joseph Walter (1817). “St. Peter's Complaint: And Other Poems”, p.47

  4 Copy quote

• My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns;Love is the fire and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns;The fuel Justice layeth on, and Mercy blows the coals;The metal in this furnace wrought are men's defiled souls.

  Robert Southwell

  Blow, Love Is, Men

  Robert Southwell (1856). “Poetical Works”, p.98

  7 Copy quote

• Time wears all his locks before,Take thy hold upon his forehead;When he flies he turns no more,And behind his scalp is naked.Works adjourn'd have many stays,Long demurs breed new delays.

  Robert Southwell

  Long, Naked, Locks

  Saint Robert Southwell (1856). “The Poetical Works of the Rev. Robert Southwell”, p.60

  4 Copy quote

• Lingering labors come to naught.

  Robert Southwell

  Procrastination, Labor, Lingering

  7 Copy quote

You May Also Like:

Edmund Campion

Peter Damian

Evelyn Waugh

George Herbert

Henry Vaughan

Abraham Cowley

Andrew Marvell

John Suckling