Quotes from George Herbert

O who will give me tears? Come, all ye springs, Dwell in my head and eyes; come, clouds and rain; My grief hath need of all the watery things That nature hath produced: let every vein Suck up a river to supply mine eyes, My weary weeping eyes, too dry for me, Unless they get new conduits, new supplies, To bear them out, and with my state agree.

Prosperity lets go the bridle.

For, if I imp my wing on thine, Affliction shall advance the flight in me.

He that talkes much of his happinesse summons griefe.

The love of money and the love of learning rarely meet.

who aimeth at the sky, Shoots higher than he that means a tree.

Then they labour anxiously, when they overdo it, to the loss of their quiet and health: then distrustfully, when they doubt God's providence, thinking that their own labour is the cause of their thriving, as if it were in their own hands to thrive or not to thrive. Then they labour profanely, when they set themselves to work like brute beasts, never raising their thoughts to God, nor sanctifying their labour with daily prayer; when on the Lord's day they do unnecessary servile work

When once your foot enters the church, be bare. God is more there, than thou: for thou art there Only by his permission. Then beware, And make thyself all reverence and fear. Kneeling ne'er spoil'd silk stocking: quit thy state All equal are within the church's gate.

He makes flat war with God, and doth defy With his poor clod of earth the spacious sky.

Enrich my heart, mouth, hands in me, With faith, with hope, with charity; That I may run, rise, rest with thee.

All worldly joys go less To the one joy of doing kindnesses.

Wherefore with my utmost art I will sing thee, And the cream of all my heart I will bring thee.

Forsake thy cage, Thy rope of sands, Which pettie thoughts have made, and made to thee Good cable, to enforce and draw, And be thy law, While thou didst wink and wouldst not see.

Kneeling ne'er spoil'd silk stocking: quit thy state. All equal are within the church's gate.

Thou art my loveliness, my life, my light, Beauty alone to me.

Lord restore thine image, hear my call: And though my hard heart scarce to thee can groan, Remember that thou once didst write in stone.

Love is a personal debt.

Love bade me welcome. Yet my soul drew back Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning, If I lacked any thing.

Sorrow hath chang'd its note : such is His will Who changeth all things

Praise the sea, but keep on land.

Thou who has given so much to me, give one thing more: a grateful heart.

One hour's sleep before midnight is worth three after.

The chicken is the country's, but the city eats it.

Time is the rider that breaks youth.