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William Cowper Quotes - Page 13

All Quotes Age Art Children Church Country Death Earth Evil Friendship Gardening Giving God Grace Happiness Heart Heaven Home Humanity Inspirational Joy Judging Judgment Kissing Knowledge Liberty Life Loss Love Lying Manners Mercy Music Nature Pain Pleasure Poetry Poverty Prayer Preaching Pride Purpose Reading Religion Retirement Running Sin Skins Slavery Solitude Son Soul Sports Spring Time Truth Virtue War Water Weed Winter Wisdom Wit

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.

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.

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

E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream thy flowing wounds supply, redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Saws, Redeeming Love, Theme

William Cowper, John William Cunningham, William Hayley (1835). “The Life and Works of William Cowper: Poems”, p.111

I crown thee king of intimate delights, Fire-side enjoyments, home-born happiness, And all the comforts that the lowly roof Of undisturb'd retirement, and the hours Of long uninterrupted ev'ning, know.

Kings, Home, Winter

"The Task: A Poem. In Six Books".

Just knows, and knows no more, her Bible true,- A truth the brilliant Frenchman never knew.

Truth, Brilliant, Frenchmen

William Cowper (1874). “The poetical works of William Cowper, ed: with notes and biographical introd. by William Benham”, p.82

It is a terrible thought, that nothing is ever forgotten; that not an oath is ever uttered that does not continue to vibrate through all times, in the wide spreading current of sound; that not a prayer is lisped, that its record is not to be found st

Prayer, Sound, Doe

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.

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

Give what thou canst, without Thee we are poor; And with Thee rich, take what Thou wilt away.

Giving, Contentment, Rich

William Cowper (1854). “Poetical works of William Cowper (with selections from the works of Robert Lloyd [and others]) ed. by R. Bell”, p.58

Great contest follows, and much learned dust Involves the combatants; each claiming truth, And truth disclaiming both.

Dust, Contests, Contention

'The Task' (1785) bk. 3 'The Garden' l. 161

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.

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

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.

Angel, Sky, Wings

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

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

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

No one was ever scolded out of their sins.

Sin, Scolded

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.

Wise, Baby, Kings

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

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.

Children, Exercise, Rights

1783 Letter to Rev William Unwin, 7 Sep.

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.

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

I am out of humanity's reach.

Humanity

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

Laugh at all you trembled at before.

Laughing

'The Progress of Error' (1782) l. 592

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.

Strength, Home, Garden

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

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.

Knowledge, Humble, Rude

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

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.

Ivy, Rotten, Stones

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

The beggarly last doit.

Lasts, Poverty

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.265

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.

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

Forgot the blush that virgin fears impart To modest cheeks, and borrowed one from art.

Art, Modest, Virgins

William Cowper (1819). “Poems”, p.76

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.

Sleep, Fans, Slavery

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

Spare feast! a radish and an egg.

Eggs, Radishes, Spares

William Cowper, James Sambrook (2016). “William Cowper: The Task and Selected Other Poems”, p.146, Routledge

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