Quotes from William Cowper

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

He that has seen both sides of fifty has lived to little purpose if he has no other views of the world than he had when he was much younger.

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

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.

Made poetry a mere mechanic art.

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

A fool must now and then be right, by chance

Variety's the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor.

Ye fearful saints fresh courage take, The clouds you so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break, With blessings on your head

Grief is itself a medicine.

We turn to dust, and all our mightiest works die too.

The parson knows enough who knows a Duke.

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.

Far happier are the dead methinks than they who look for death and fear it every day.

No, Freedom has a thousand charms to show That slaves, howe'er contented, never know.

Freedom hath a thousand charms to show, That slaves however contented never know

I would not enter in my list of friends, Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. An inadvertent step may crush the snail That crawls at evening in the public path, But he has the humanity, forewarned, Will tread aside, and let the reptile live.

The man that hails you Tom or Jack, and proves by thumps upon your back how he esteems your merit, is such a friend, that one had need be very much his friend indeed to pardon or to bear it.