William Cowper Quotes - Page 11

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Though peace be made, yet it's interest that keep peace.

William Cowper

Peace, Made, Interest

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Religion Caesar never knew Thy posterity shall sway, Where his eagles never flew, None as invincible as they.

William Cowper

Eagles, Flew, Invincible

1782 Poems,'Boadicea: an Ode'.

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He that negotiates between God and man, As God's ambassador, the grand concerns Of judgment and of mercy, should beware Of lightness in his speech.

William Cowper

Men, Speech, Ambassadors

William Cowper (1855). “The complete poetical works of William Cowper, with life and critical notice of his writings”, p.141

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The things that mount the rostrum with a skip, And then skip down again, pronounce a text, Cry hem; and reading what they never wrote Just fifteen minutes, huddle up their work, And with a well-bred whisper close the scene!

William Cowper

Reading, Hem, Fifteen

William Cowper (1853). “The Poetical Works of William Cowper: With Life ; Six Engravings on Steel”, p.140

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A glory gilds the sacred page, Majestic like the sun, It gives a light to every age, It gives, but borrows none.

William Cowper

Light, Giving, Age

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.677

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We bear our shades about us; self-deprived Of other screen, the thin umbrella spread, And range an Indian waste without a tree.

William Cowper

Self, Tree, Shade

William Cowper (1872). “The task, Tirocinium, and other poems”, p.8

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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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Ten thousand casks, Forever dribbling out their base contents, Touch'd by the Midas finger of the state, Bleed gold for ministers to sport away. Drink, and be mad then; 'tis your country bids!

William Cowper

Sports, Country, Mad

William Cowper, James Sambrook (2016). “William Cowper: The Task and Selected Other Poems”, p.156, Routledge

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Be it a weakness, it deserves some praise, We love the play-place of our early days; The scene is touching, and the heart is stone, That feels not at that sight, and feels at none.

William Cowper

Heart, Sight, Play

William Cowper (1790). “Poems: by William Cowper, ... In two volumes. ...”, p.237

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Blest be the art that can immortalize.

William Cowper

Art, Immortality

William Cowper, Robert Southey (1854). “The Works of William Cowper: The task. Tirocinium. Miscellaneous poems. Adam: a sacred drama, tr. from the Italian of Gio. Battista Andreini”, p.283

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When all within is peace How nature seems to smile Delights that never cease The live-long day beguile

William Cowper

Inspirational, Nature, Long

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.145

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Strange as it may seem, the most ludicrous lines I ever wrote have been written in the saddest mood.

William Cowper

Lines, May, Strange

William Cowper, Robert Southey, William Harvey (1836). “The Works of William Cowper: Life and works of Cowper, by R. Southey”, p.39

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They love the country, and none else, who seek
For their own sake its silence and its shade.
Delights which who would leave, that has a heart
Susceptible of pity, or a mind
Cultured and capable of sober thought.

William Cowper

Country, Heart, Silence

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.73

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The slaves of custom and established mode,
With pack-horse constancy we keep the road
Crooked or straight, through quags or thorny dells,
True to the jingling of our leader's bells.

William Cowper

Horse, Leader, Bells

William Cowper (1785). “Poetical Works: With Notes and a Memoir”, p.207

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Anticipated rents, and bills unpaid,
Force many a shining youth into the shade,
Not to redeem his time, but his estate,
And play the fool, but at the cheaper rate.

William Cowper

Play, Shining, Debt

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.145

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Where thou art gone, adieus and farewells are a sound unknown.

William Cowper

Art, Farewell, Sound

William Cowper, Robert Southey (1849). “The Complete Poetical Works of William Cowper ...: Including the Copyright Poems, with a Life of the Author”, p.484

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Folly ends where genuine hope begins.

William Cowper

Hope, Ends, Genuine

William Cowper (1872). “Table talk, Truth, Expostulation, Hope, Charity, and other poems”, p.91

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Learning itself, received into a mind
By nature weak, or viciously inclined,
Serves but to lead philosophers astray,
Where children would with ease discern the way.

William Cowper

Children, Learning, Mind

William Cowper (1851). “The Works of William Cowper: His Life, Letters, and Poems. Now First Completed by the Introduction of Cowper's Private Correspondence”, p.510

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True modesty is a discerning grace
And only blushes in the proper place;
But counterfeit is blind, and skulks through fear,
Where 'tis a shame to be asham'd t' appear:
Humility the parent of the first,
The last by vanity produc'd and nurs'd.

William Cowper

Humility, Vanity, Parent

William Cowper (1852). “Poems”, p.125

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They fix attention, heedless of your pain,
With oaths like rivets forced into the brain;
And e'en when sober truth prevails throughout,
They swear it, till affirmance breeds a doubt.

William Cowper

Pain, Doubt, Brain

William Cowper (1853). “The Poetical Works of William Cowper: With Life ; Six Engravings on Steel”, p.83

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The art of poetry is to touch the passions, and its duty to lead them on the side of virtue.

William Cowper

Art, Passion, Poetry

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Oh, popular applause! what heart of man
Is proof against thy sweet seducing charms?
The wisest and the best feel urgent need
Of all their caution in thy gentlest gales;
But swell'd into a gust--who then, alas!
With all his canvas set, and inexpert,
And therefore, heedless, can withstand thy power?

William Cowper

Sweet, Heart, Men

William Cowper, James Sambrook (2016). “William Cowper: The Task and Selected Other Poems”, p.100, Routledge

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But poverty, with most who whimper forth
Their long complaints, is self-inflicted woe;
The effect of laziness, or sottish write.

William Cowper

Writing, Self, Long

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.233

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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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How! leap into the pit our life to save?
To save our life leap all into the grave.

William Cowper

Suicide, Pits, Graves

William Cowper (1820). “Poems: In two volumes. Embellished with engravings, and a sketch of his life”, p.339

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Born: November 26, 1731
Died: April 25, 1800
Occupation: Poet
Cite this Page: Citation

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