William Cowper Quotes - Page 13

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Most satirists are indeed a public scourge; Their mildest physic is a farrier's purge; Their acrid temper turns, as soon as stirr'd, The milk of their good purpose all to curd. Their zeal begotten, as their works rehearse, By lean despair upon an empty purse.

William Cowper

Despair, Milk, Purpose

William Cowper (1853). “The Poetical Works of William Cowper: With Life ; Six Engravings on Steel”, p.78

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Sin let loose speaks punishment at hand.

William Cowper

Hands, Punishment, Speak

William Cowper (1872). “Table Talk”, p.58

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I would not have a slave to till my ground, To carry me, to fan me while I sleep, And tremble when I wake, for all the wealth That sinews bought and sold have ever earn'd.

William Cowper

Sleep, Fans, Slavery

William Cowper (1811). “The task: a poem”, p.40

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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

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The cares of today are seldom those of tomorrow.

William Cowper

Care, Today, Tomorrow

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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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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.

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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.

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All affectation; 'tis my perfect scorn;
Object of my implacable disgust.

William Cowper

Perfect, Disgusting, Scorn

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.154

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When one that holds communion with the skies
Has fill'd his urn where these pure waters rise,
And once more mingles with us meaner things,
'Tis e'en as if an angel shook his wings.

William Cowper

Angel, Sky, Wings

William Cowper (1855). “The complete poetical works of William Cowper, with life and critical notice of his writings”, p.77

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The parable of the prodigal son, the most beautiful fiction that ever was invented; our Saviour's speech to His disciples, with which He closed His earthly ministrations, full of the sublimest dignity and tenderest affection, surpass everything that I ever read; and like the spirit by which they were dictated, fly directly to the heart.

William Cowper

Bible, Beautiful, Heart

William Cowper (1862). “Letters of William Cowper; being a selection from his correspondence: with a sketch of his life, and biographical notices of his correspondents. [With a portrait.]”, p.54

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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

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We sacrifice to dress till household joys and comforts cease. Dress drains our cellar dry, and keeps our larder lean.

William Cowper

Sacrifice, Joy, Comfort

William Cowper (1874). “The poetical works of William Cowper, ed: with notes and biographical introd. by William Benham”, p.210

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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

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Fashion, leader of a chatt'ring train,
Whom man for his own hurt permits to reign
Who shifts and changes all things but his shape,
And would degrade her vot'ry to an ape,
The fruitful parent of abuse and wrong,
Holds a usurp'd dominion o'er his tongue,
There sits and prompts him with his own disgrace,
Prescribes the theme, the tone, and the grimace,
And when accomplish'd in her wayward school,
Calls gentleman whom she has made a fool.

William Cowper

Fashion, Hurt, School

William Cowper (1837). “Poems; to which is prefixed a memoir of the author by J. M'Diarmid”, p.217

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She that asks
Her dear five hundred friends, contemns them all,
And hates their coming.

William Cowper

Friends, Hate, Hundred

William Cowper (1855). “The Complete Poetical Works of William Cowper: With Life, and Critical Notice of His Writings. Eight Engravings on Steel”, p.144

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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

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God never meant that man should scale the Heavens
By strides of human wisdom. In his works,
Though wondrous, he commands us in his word
To seek him rather where his mercy shines.

William Cowper

God, Men, Shining

William Cowper (1855). “The complete poetical works of William Cowper, with life and critical notice of his writings”, p.152

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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

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Man in society is like a flow'r,
Blown in its native bed. 'Tis there alone
His faculties expanded in full bloom
Shine out, there only reach their proper use.

William Cowper

Men, Shining, Society

William Cowper, John MACDIARMID (Editor of the “Dumfries and Galloway Courier.”.) (1819). “Poems ... To which is prefixed, a memoir of the author; also, critical remarks on his poems, written expressly for this work. By John M'Diarmid. Second edition, revised and extended”, p.298

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Those flimsy webs that break as soon as wrought, attain not to the dignity of thought.

William Cowper

Dignity, Break

William Cowper, John William Cunningham (1835). “The works ¬of William Cowper: Poems : with an essay on the genius and poetry of Cowper”, p.210

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Some men make gain a fountain, whence proceeds
A stream of liberal and heroic deeds;
The swell of pity, not to be confined
Within the scanty limits of the mind.

William Cowper

Men, Heroic Deeds, Mind

William Cowper (1845). “The Poetical Works of William Cowper”, p.98

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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

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Good sense, good health, good conscience, and good fame,--all these belong to virtue, and all prove that virtue has a title to your love.

William Cowper

Titles, Virtue, Fame

William Cowper, Robert Southey (1854). “The Works: Comprising His Poems, Correspondence and Translations : in Eight Volumes. ¬The poetical works, Vol. 1”, p.119

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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

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

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