Abraham Cowley Quotes - Page 3

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When Israel was from bondage led,Led by the Almighty's handFrom out of foreign land,The great sea beheld and fled.

Abraham Cowley

Sea, Land, Israel

Abraham Cowley, Samuel Johnson (1822). “The Poems of Abraham Cowley ...”, p.174

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Beauty, thou wild fantastic ape Who dost in every country change thy shape!

Abraham Cowley

Country, Shapes, Apes

Abraham Cowley, Samuel Johnson (1822). “The Poems of Abraham Cowley ...”, p.57

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To be a husbandman, is but a retreat from the city; to be a philosopher, from the world; or rather, a retreat from the world, as it is man's, into the world, as it is God's.

Abraham Cowley

Men, Cities, World

Abraham Cowley, Samuel Johnson (1822). “The Poems of Abraham Cowley ...”

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The Sunflow'r, thinking 'twas for him foul shame To nap by daylight, strove t' excuse the blame; It was not sleep that made him nod, he said, But too great weight and largeness of his head.

Abraham Cowley

Sleep, Thinking, Naps

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Why to mute fish should'st thou thyself discoverAnd not to me, thy no less silent lover?

Abraham Cowley

Lovers, Silent, Mute

Abraham Cowley (1779). “The Works of the English Poets. With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, by Samuel Johnson”, p.320

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There have been fewer friends on earth than kings.

Abraham Cowley

Friends, Kings, Earth

Abraham Cowley (1806). “The Works ... Re-edited. - London, G. Kearsley 1806”, p.232

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But what is woman? Only one of nature's agreeable blunders.

Abraham Cowley

Women, Blunders

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Thus each extreme to equal danger tends, Plenty, as well as Want, can sep'rate friends.

Abraham Cowley

Want, Danger, Equal

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As for being much known by sight, and pointed out, I cannot comprehend the honor that lies withal; whatsoever it be, every mountebank has it more than the best doctor.

Abraham Cowley

Lying, Doctors, Sight

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"We may talk what we please," he cries in his enthusiasm for the oldest of the arts, "of lilies, and lions rampant, and spread eagles, in fields d'or or d'argent; but, if heraldry were guided by reason, a plough in a field arable would be the most noble and ancient arms."

Abraham Cowley

Art, Garden, Eagles

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Curs'd be that wretch (Death's factor sure) who brought Dire swords into the peaceful world, and taught Smiths (who before could only make The spade, the plough-share, and the rake) Arts, in most cruel wise Man's left to epitomize!

Abraham Cowley

Wise, Art, Men

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This only grant me, that my means may lie, too low for envy, for contempt to high.

Abraham Cowley

Lying, Mean, Envy

'Essays, in Verse and Prose' (1668) 'Of Myself'

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Life for delays and doubts no time does give,
None ever yet made haste enough to live.

Abraham Cowley

Life, Giving, Doubt

Abraham Cowley (1679). “The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley: Consisting of Those which Were Formerly Printed : and Those which He Design'd for the Press”

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Acquaintance I would have, but when it depends; not on number, but the choice of friends.

Abraham Cowley

Friendship, Numbers, Choices

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It is a hard and nice subject for a man to speak of himself: it grates his own heart to say anything of disparagement, and the reader's ear to hear anything of praise from him.

Abraham Cowley

Nice, Heart, Men

Abraham Cowley, John Max Attenborough (1915). “Essays and Selected Verse: With an Introd”

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Who lets slip fortune, her shall never find: Occasion once past by, is bald behind.

Abraham Cowley

Past, Opportunity, Fortune

Abraham Cowley (1967). “The Complete Works in Verse and Prose of Abraham Cowley”

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What shall I do to be for ever known, And make the age to come my own?

Abraham Cowley

Age, Reputation, My Own

Abraham Cowley (1806). “The Works ... Re-edited. - London, G. Kearsley 1806”, p.27

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There is some help for all the defects of fortune; for, if a man cannot attain to the length of his wishes, he may have his remedy by cutting of them shorter.

Abraham Cowley

Cutting, Men, Wish

Abraham Cowley, Thomas Sprat (1826). “Prose works of Abraham Cowley ; including his essays in prose and verse”, p.221

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The present is all the ready money Fate can give.

Abraham Cowley

Fate, Giving, Ready

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Awake, awake, my Lyre!And tell thy silent master's humble taleIn sounds that may prevail;Sounds that gentle thoughts inspire:Though so exalted sheAnd I so lowly beTell her, such different notes make all thy harmony.

Abraham Cowley

Humble, Inspire, May

Abraham Cowley, “A Supplication”

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Begin, be bold, and venture to be wise,
He who defers this work from day to day,
Does on a river's bank expecting stay,
Till the whole stream, which stopped him, should be gone,
That runs, and as it runs, for ever will run on.

Abraham Cowley

Wise, Running, Time

Abraham Cowley (1777). “Select works [ed. by R. Hurd].”, p.257

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Ah! Wretched and too solitary he who loves not his own company.

Abraham Cowley

Life, Solitary, Company

Abraham Cowley, Thomas Sprat (1826). “Prose works of Abraham Cowley ; including his essays in prose and verse”, p.134

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Much will always wanting be
To him who much desires.

Abraham Cowley

Desire

Abraham Cowley (1679). “The Works of Mr Abraham Cowley: Consisting of Those which Were Formerly Printed : and Those which He Design'd for the Press”

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Coy Nature, (which remain'd, though aged grown,
A beauteous virgin still, enjoy'd by none,
Nor seen unveil'd by anyone),
When Harvey's violent passion she did see,
Began to tremble and to flee;
Took sanctuary, like Daphne, in a tree:
There Daphne's Lover stopped, and thought it much
The very leaves of her to touch:
But Harvey, our Apollo, stopp'd not so;
Into the Bark and Root he after her did go!

Abraham Cowley

Nature, Passion, Science

Abraham Cowley (1802). “The Works of Abraham Cowley: With a Preface, Biographical and Critical by Samuel Johnson”, p.110

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Happy insect! what can be In happiness compared to thee? Fed with nourishment divine, The dewy morning's gentle wine! Nature waits upon thee still, And thy verdant cup does fill; 'Tis fill'd wherever thou dost tread, Nature's self's thy Ganymede.

Abraham Cowley

Morning, Wine, Self

Abraham Cowley (1772). “Select works of mr. A. Cowley [ed. by R. Hurd].”, p.148

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Born: 1618
Died: July 28, 1667
Occupation: Poet
Cite this Page: Citation

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