William Cowper Quotes - Page 12

Quotes about:

• He that runs may read.

  William Cowper

  Running, Reading, May

  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.104

  7 Copy quote

• A Christian's wit is offensive light,
  A beam that aids, but never grieves the sight;
  Vig'rous in age as in the flush of youth,
  'Tis always active on the side of truth.

  William Cowper

  Christian, Grieving, Light

  7 Copy quote

• Unmissed but by his dogs and by his groom.

  William Cowper

  Friendship, Dog

  William Cowper, Robert Southey (1835). “The Works of William Cowper, Comprising His Poems, Correspondence, and Translations”, p.32

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• But, oh, Thou bounteous Giver of all good, Thou art, of all Thy gifts, Thyself thy crown!

  William Cowper

  God, Art, Crowns

  William Cowper (1854). “Poetical Works”, p.58

  4 Copy quote

• Poor England! thou art a devoted deer,
  Beset with every ill but that of fear.
  The nations hunt; all mock thee for a prey;
  They swarm around thee, and thou stand'st at bay.

  William Cowper

  Art, Deer, England

  4 Copy quote

• All flesh is grass. and all its glory fades
  Like the fair flower dishevell'd in the wind;
  Riches have wings, and grandeur is a dream;
  The man we celebrate must find a tomb,
  And we that worship him, ignoble graves.

  William Cowper

  Death, Dream, Flower

  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.186

  4 Copy quote

• Stamps God's own name upon a lie just made, To turn a penny in the way of trade.

  William Cowper

  Money, Lying, Names

  'Table Talk' (1782) l. 420 (Perjury)

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• But what is truth? 'Twas Pilate's question put
  To Truth itself, that deign'd him no reply.

  William Cowper

  Truth

  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.186

  4 Copy quote

• How various his employments whom the world Calls idle; and who justly in return Esteems that busy world an idler too!

  William Cowper

  Idlers, Employment, World

  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.15

  60 Copy quote

• A moral, sensible, and well-bred manWill not affront me, and no other can.

  William Cowper

  Moral, Courtesy, Manners

  William Cowper, “Conversation”

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• Twere better to be born a stone Of ruder shape, and feeling none, Than with a tenderness like mine And sensibilities so fine! Ah, hapless wretch! condemn'd to dwell Forever in my native shell, Ordained to move when others please, Not for my own content or ease; But toss'd and buffeted about, Now in the water and now out.

  William Cowper

  Moving, Oysters, Water

  William Cowper, William Hayley, John William Cunningham (1854). “The Works of William Cowper: His Life, Letters, and Poems ; Now First Completed by the Introduction of Cowper's Private Correspondence”, p.617

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• Dejection of spirits, which may have prevented many a man from becoming an author, made me one. I find constant employment necessary, and therefore take care to be constantly employed. . . . When I can find no other occupation, I think; and when I think, I am very apt to do it in rhyme.

  William Cowper

  Men, Thinking, Care

  William Cowper (1853). “The Poetical Works of William Cowper: With Life ; Six Engravings on Steel”, p.17

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• As creeping ivy clings to wood or stone, And hides the ruin that it feeds upon, So sophistry, cleaves close to, and protects Sin's rotten trunk, concealing its defects.

  William Cowper

  Ivy, Rotten, Stones

  'The Progress of Error' (1782) l. 285

  23 Copy quote

• Philologists, who chase A painting syllable through time and space Start it at home, and hunt it in the dark, To Gaul, to Greece, and into Noah's Ark.

  William Cowper

  Home, Dark, Space

  "Retirement" l. 691 (1782)

  8 Copy quote

• How fleet is a glance of the mind! Compared with the speed of its flight, The tempest itself lags behind, And the swift-winged arrows of light.

  William Cowper

  Light, Arrows, Mind

  William Cowper (1858). “Works of Cowper and Thomson”, p.114

  7 Copy quote

• How shall I speak thee, or thy power address Thou God of our idolatry, the Press. . . . . Like Eden's dead probationary tree, Knowledge of good and evil is from thee.

  William Cowper

  Eden, Evil, Tree

  7 Copy quote

• I am out of humanity's reach.

  William Cowper

  Humanity

  1782 Poems,'Verses Supposed to be Written by Alexander Selkirk, During His Solitary Abode in the Island of Juan Fernandez'.

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• Did Charity prevail, the press would prove A vehicle of virtue, truth, and love.

  William Cowper

  And Love, Charity, Journalism

  William Cowper (1872). “Table talk, Truth, Expostulation, Hope, Charity, and other poems”, p.111

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• There is a mixture of evil in everything we do; indulgence encourages us to encroach, while we Crabbe exercise the rights of children, we become childish.

  William Cowper

  Children, Exercise, Rights

  1783 Letter to Rev William Unwin, 7 Sep.

  4 Copy quote

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

  William Cowper

  Peace, Made, Interest

  7 Copy quote

• Hast thou not learnd what thou art often told, A truth still sacred, and believed of old, That no success attends on spears and swords Unblest, and that the battle is the Lords?

  William Cowper

  Success, Art, Battle

  William Cowper (1872). “Table talk, Truth, Expostulation, Hope, Charity, and other poems”, p.63

  7 Copy quote

• Lights of the world, and stars of human race.

  William Cowper

  Stars, Light, Race

  William Cowper, Robert Southey (1835). “The Works of William Cowper, Comprising His Poems, Correspondence, and Translations”, p.32

  4 Copy quote

• The cares of today are seldom those of tomorrow.

  William Cowper

  Care, Today, Tomorrow

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• Heaven speed the canvas, gallantly unfurl'd, To furnish and accommodate a world, To give the Pole the produce of the sun, And knit the unsocial climates into one.

  William Cowper

  Giving, Heaven, Climate

  William Cowper (1855). “The complete poetical works of William Cowper, with life and critical notice of his writings”, p.71

  4 Copy quote

• But war's a game, which, were their subjects wise, Kings should not play at. Nations would do well To extort their truncheons from the puny hands Of heroes, whose infirm and baby minds Are gratified with mischief, and who spoil, Because men suffer it, their toy the world.

  William Cowper

  Wise, Baby, Kings

  1785 The Task, bk.5,'The Winter Morning Walk', l.187-92.

  4 Copy quote

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