All Quotes by Thomas Gray
“Daughter of Jove, relentless power, The bad affright, afflict the best!”
“What sorrow was, thou bad'st her know, And from her own she learned to melt at others' woe.”
“In glittering arms and glory dressed, Echoing to the battle's roar.”
“Where his glowing eye−balls turn, Despair and honourable Death.”
“Now my weary lips I close; Leave me, leave me to repose!”
“Iron sleet of arrowy shower Hurtles in the darkened air.”
“Too poor for a bribe, and too proud to importune, He had not the method of making a fortune.”
“I shall be but a shrimp of an author.”
“Comus and his midnight crew.”
“While bright-eyed Science watches round.”
“Sweet is the breath of vernal shower, The still small voice of gratitude.”
“And weep the more, because I weep in vain.”
“Rich windows that exclude the light, And passages that lead to nothing.”
“The social smile, the sympathetic tear.”
“When love could teach a monarch to be wise, And gospel-light first dawn'd from Bullen's eyes.”
“Now as the Paradisiacal pleasures of the Mahometans consist in playing upon the flute and lying with Houris, be mine to read eternal new romances of Marivaux and Crebillon.”
“Behind the steps that Misery treads The strength and harmony of life.”
“See the wretch that long has tost To him are opening paradise.”
“And hie him home, at evening's close, To sweet repast and calm repose.”
“From toil he wins his spirits light, In heaven's best treasures, peace and health.”
“From Helicon's harmonious springs A thousand rills their mazy progress take.”
“Glance their many-twinkling feet.”
“O'er her warm cheek and rising bosom move The bloom of young Desire and purple light of Love.”
“Her track, where'er the goddess roves, Th' unconquerable mind, 3 and freedom's holy flame.”
“Far from the sun and summer-gale, In thy green lap was Nature's Darling laid.”
“Or ope the sacred source of sympathetic tears.”
“He passed the flaming bounds of place and time: Closed his eyes in endless night.”
“Hark, his hands the lyre explore! Thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.”
“Beyond the limits of a vulgar fate, Beneath the good how far,—but far above the great.”
“Ye distant spires, ye antique towers, That crown the wat'ry glade.”
“Ah, happy hills! ah, pleasing shade! A momentary bliss bestow.”
“Still as they run they look behind, And snatch a fearful joy.”
“Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed, The sunshine of the breast.”
“Alas, regardless of their doom, Nor care beyond today.”
“Ah, tell them they are men!”
“Grim-visaged comfortless Despair.”
“And moody madness laughing wild Amid severest woe.”
“To each his suff'rings: all are men, 'Tis folly to be wise.”
“'Twas on a lofty vase's side, Gazed on the lake below.”
“What female heart can gold despise? What cat's averse to fish?”
“No dolphin came, no Nereid stirred; A favourite has no friend!”
“Not all that tempts your wandering eyes Nor all that glisters gold.”
“The Curfew tolls the knell of parting day, And leaves the world to darkness and to me.”
“Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds.”
“Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r The moping owl does to the moon complain.”
“Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude Forefathers of the hamlet sleep.”
“The breezy call of incense-breathing morn.”
“For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn, Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.”
“Let not Ambition mock their useful toil, The short and simple annals of the poor.”
“The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow'r, The paths of glory lead but to the grave.”
“Where through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.”
“Can storied urn, or animated bust Or Flatt'ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?”
“Hands, that the rod of empire might have swayed, Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre.”
“But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page And froze the genial current of the soul.”
“Full many a gem of purest ray serene, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.”
“Some village Hampden, that with dauntless breast Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood.”
“The applause of list'ning senates to command, And read their hist'ry in a nation's eyes.”
“Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne, And shut the gates of mercy on mankind.”
“Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife, They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.”
“Implores the passing tribute of a sigh.”
“And many a holy text around she strews, That teach the rustic moralist to die.”
“For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey, Nor cast one longing ling'ring look behind?”
“E'en from the tomb the voice of Nature cries, E'en in our Ashes live their wonted Fires.”
“Brushing with hasty steps the dews away, To meet the sun upon the upland lawn.”
“One morn I miss'd him on the custom'd hill, Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he.”
“Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth And Melancholy marked him for her own.”
“Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere, He gained from Heav'n ('twas all he wished) a friend.”
“No farther seek his merits to disclose, The bosom of his Father and his God.”
“No further seek his merits to disclose, The bosom of his Father and his God.”
“Ruin seize thee, ruthless King! They mock the air with idle state.”
“Helm nor hauberk's twisted mail, From Cambria's curse, from Cambria's tears!”
“To high-born Hoel's harp, or soft Llewellyn's lay.”
“Dear, as the light that visits these sad eyes; Dear, as the ruddy drops that warm my heart.”
“Weave the warp, and weave the woof, The Characters of hell to trace.”
“Fair laughs the morn, and soft the zephyr blows, That, hushed in grim repose, expects his evening prey.”
“Ye towers of Julius, London's lasting shame, With many a foul and midnight murder fed.”
“Visions of glory, spare my aching sight, Ye unborn ages, crowd not on my soul!”
“Hear from the grave, great Taliessin, hear; Waves in the eye of Heav'n her many-colour'd wings.”
“The verse adorn again And Truth severe, by fairy Fiction drest.”