William Cowper Quotes - Page 10

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• The spleen is seldom felt where Flora reigns;
  The low'ring eye, the petulance, the frown,
  And sullen sadness, that o'ershade, distort,
  And mar the face of beauty, when no cause
  For such immeasurable woe appears;
  These Flora banishes, and gives the fair
  Sweet smiles, and bloom less transient than her own.

  William Cowper

  Sweet, Sadness, Eye

  William Cowper, James Sambrook (2016). “William Cowper: The Task and Selected Other Poems”, p.72, Routledge

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• When from soft love proceeds the deep distress, ah! why forbid the willing tears to flow?

  William Cowper

  Tears, Flow, Distress

  William Cowper (1874). “The poetical works of William Cowper, ed: with notes and biographical introd. by William Benham”, p.10

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• How soft the music of those village bells, Falling at interval upon the ear In cadence sweet; now dying all away, Now pealing loud again, and louder still, Clear and sonorous, as the gale comes on! With easy force it opens all the cells Where Memory slept.

  William Cowper

  Sweet, Memories, Fall

  William Cowper (1856). “The task, Table talk, and other poems: With critical observations of various authors on his genius and character, and notes, critical and illustrative”, p.293

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• Then liberty, like day, Breaks on the soul, and by a flash from Heaven Fires all the faculties with glorious joy.

  William Cowper

  Fire, Joy, Heaven

  William Cowper (1874). “The poetical works of William Cowper, ed: with notes and biographical introd. by William Benham”, p.264

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• Our love is principle, and has its root
  In reason, is judicious, manly, free.

  William Cowper

  Life, Love Is, Roots

  William Cowper (1830). “Poems ... With a sketch of his life and a vindication of his religious principles and character. Third edition, corrected and enlarged. [With a portrait.]”, p.247

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• Religion! what treasure untold resides in that heavenly word!

  William Cowper

  Religion, Treasure, Heavenly

  William Cowper, Robert Southey, William Harvey (1835). “The Works of William Cowper: Comprising His Poems, Correspondence, and Translations. With a Life of the Author”, p.181

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• In the vast, and the minute, we see
  The unambiguous footsteps of the God,
  Who gives its lustre to an insect's wing
  And wheels His throne upon the rolling worlds.

  William Cowper

  Wings, Giving, Rolling

  William Cowper (1855). “The Works of William Cowper: His Life, Letters, and Poems : Now First Completed by the Introduction of Cowper's Private Correspondence”, p.594

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• And in that hour,
  The seeds of cruelty, that since have swell'd
  To such gigantic and enormous growth,
  Were sown in human nature's fruitful soil.
  Hence date the persecution and the pain
  That man inflicts on all inferior kinds,
  Regardless of their plaints.

  William Cowper

  Pain, Men, Animal

  William Cowper (1872). “The poetical works of William Cowper: Complete ed., with memoir, explanatory notes etc”, p.318

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• Admirals extolled for standing still, or doing nothing with a deal of skill.

  William Cowper

  War, Skills, Doing Nothing

  'Table Talk' (1782) l. 192

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• All constraint, / Except what wisdom lays on evil men, / Is evil.

  William Cowper

  Men, Evil, Constraints

  William Cowper (1872). “The poetical works of William Cowper: Complete ed., with memoir, explanatory notes etc”, p.300

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• Great offices will have great talents.

  William Cowper

  Greatness, Office, Talent

  William Cowper, John Corry (1820). “The Beauties of Cowper; Or, Extracts ... for the Use of Schools ... By John Corry”, p.13

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• To trace in Nature's most minute design The signature and stamp of power divine. ... The Invisible in things scarce seen revealed, To whom an atom is an ample field.

  William Cowper

  Science, Design, Signatures

  William Cowper (1874). “The poetical works of William Cowper, ed: with notes and biographical introd. by William Benham”, p.148

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• Some drill and bore
  The solid earth, and from the strata there
  Extract a register, by which we learn,
  That he who made it, and reveal'd its date
  To Moses, was mistaken in its age.

  William Cowper

  Science, Age, Earth

  William Cowper (1855). “The Complete Poetical Works of William Cowper: With Life, and Critical Notice of His Writings. Eight Engravings on Steel”, p.151

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• A teacher should be sparing of his smile.

  William Cowper

  Education, Teacher, Teaching

  William Cowper, Robert Southey (1835). “The Works of William Cowper, Comprising His Poems, Correspondence, and Translations”, p.147

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• Strength may wield the ponderous spade, May turn the clod, and wheel the compost home; But elegance, chief grace the garden shows, And most attractive, is the fair result Of thought, the creature of a polished mind.

  William Cowper

  Strength, Home, Garden

  William Cowper (1854). “Poetical Works”, p.255

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• Fanaticism, the false fire of an overheated mind.

  William Cowper

  Fire, Mind, Fanatics

  William Cowper (1815). “Poems”, p.245

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• Not to understand a treasure's worth till time has stole away the slighted good, is cause of half the poverty we feel, and makes the world the wilderness it is.

  William Cowper

  Goodbye, Farewell, Diversity

  William Cowper, James Thomson (1832). “The Works of Cowper and Thompson: Including Many Letters and Poems Never Before Published in this Country. With a New and Interesting Memoir of the Life of Thomson”, p.94

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• Nature, exerting an unwearied power,
  Forms, opens, and gives scent to every flower;
  Spreads the fresh verdure of the field, and leads
  The dancing Naiads through the dewy meads.

  William Cowper

  Nature, Flower, Giving

  William Cowper (1855). “The complete poetical works of William Cowper, with life and critical notice of his writings”, p.14

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• Knowledge, a rude unprofitable mass, the mere materials with which wisdom builds, till smoothed and squared and fitted to its place, does but encumber whom it seems to enrich. Knowledge is proud that he has learned so much; wisdom is humble that he knows no more.

  William Cowper

  Knowledge, Humble, Rude

  'The Task' (1785) bk. 6 'The Winter Walk at Noon' l. 96

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• ... she, that will with kittens jest, Should bear a kitten's joke.

  William Cowper

  Cat, Bears, Kitten

  William Cowper, James Thomson (1832). “The Works of Cowper and Thompson: Including Many Letters and Poems Never Before Published in this Country. With a New and Interesting Memoir of the Life of Thomson”, p.157

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• Forced from home, and all its pleasures, afric coast I left forlorn; to increase a stranger's treasures, o the raging billows borne. Men from England bought and sold me, paid my price in paltry gold; but, though theirs they have enroll'd me, minds are never to be sold.

  William Cowper

  Home, Men, Mind

  William Cowper, James Thomson (1851). “The Works of Cowper and Thomson: Including Many Letters and Poems Never Before Published in this Country : with a New and Interesting Memoir of the Life of Thomson”, p.122

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• This cabin, Mary, in my sight appears,
  Built as it has been in our waning years,
  A rest afforded to our weary feet,
  Preliminary to - the last retreat.

  William Cowper

  Home, Sight, Years

  William Cowper, John William Cunningham, William Hayley (1835). “The Life and Works of William Cowper: His life and letters by William Hayley. Now first completed by the introduction of Cowper's private correspondence”, p.172

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• [My kitten] is dressed in a tortoise-shell suit, and I know you will delight in her.

  William Cowper

  Cat, Shells, Delight

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• The man that hails you Tom or Jack, and proves by thumps upon your back how he esteems your merit, is such a friend, that one had need be very much his friend indeed to pardon or to bear it.

  William Cowper

  Friendship, Men, Needs

  'Friendship' (1782) l. 169

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• In indolent vacuity of thought.

  William Cowper

  Vacuity

  William Cowper (1849). “The Complete Poetical Works of William Cowper ...: Including the Copyright Poems, with a Life of the Author”, p.238

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