Francis Quarles Quotes

The average person's ear weighs what you are, not what you were.

The heart is a small thing, but desireth great matters. It is not sufficient for a kite's dinner, yet the whole world is not sufficient for it.

Reason can discover things only near,--sees nothing that's above her.

Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly thyself.

If thou wouldst preserve a sound body, use fasting and walking; if a healthful soul, fasting and praying. Walking exercises the body; praying exercises the soul; fasting cleanses both.

Beware of him that is slow to anger; for when it is long coming, it is the stronger when it comes, and the longer kept. Abused patience turns to fury.

O lust, thou infernal fire, whose fuel is gluttony; whose flame is pride, whose sparkles are wanton words; whose smoke is infamy; whose ashes are uncleanness; whose end is hell.

That friendship will not continue to the end which is begun for an end.

The fountain of beauty is the heart and every generous thought illustrates the walls of your chamber.

Mercy turns her back to the unmerciful.

See, here's a shadow found; the human nature Is made th' umbrella to the Deity, To catch the sunbeams of thy just Creator; Beneath this covert thou may'st safely lie.

Flatter not thyself in thy faith in God if thou hast not charity for thy neighbor.

The place of charity, like that of God, is everywhere.

Heaven finds an ear when sinners find a tongue.

I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading, as I had in the writing.

If thou expect death as a friend, prepare to entertain it; if thou expect death as an enemy, prepare to overcome it; death has no advantage, but when it comes a stranger.

Obedience to truth known, is the king's highway to that which is still beyond us.

Neutrality is dangerous, whereby thou becomest a necessary prey to the conqueror.

Wickedness is its own punishment.

Scandal breeds hatred; hatred begets division; division makes faction, and faction brings ruin.

He that hath no cross deserves no crown.

The road to perseverance lies by doubt.

Let the ground of all thy religious actions be obedience; examine not why it is commanded, but observe it because it is commanded. True obedience neither procrastinates nor questions.

Lust is a sharp spur to vice, which always putteth the affections into a false gallop.

Lust is an immoderate wantonness of the flesh, a sweet poison, a cruel pestilence; a pernicious poison, which weakeneth the body of man, and effeminateth the strength of the heroic mind.

He that gives all, though but little, gives much; because God looks not to the quantity of the gift, but to the quality of the givers.

Hath any wounded thee with injuries? Meet them with patience. Hasty words rankle the wound; soft language dresses it.

Humility enforces where neither virtue nor strength can prevail, nor reason.

Has fortune dealt you some bad cards. Then let wisdom make you a good gamester.

Anger may repast with thee for an hour, but not repose for a night; the continuance of anger is hatred, the continuance of hatred turns malice.

Is not this lily pure? What fuller can procure A white so perfect, spotless clear As in this flower doth appear?

Let the fear of a danger be a spur to prevent it.

Put off thy cares with thy clothes; so shall thy rest strengthen thy labour, and so shall thy labour sweeten thy rest.

Temper your enjoyments with prudence, lest there be written on your heart that fearful word 'satiety.'

Thy pride is but the prologue of thy shame; where vain-glory commands, there folly counsels; where pride rides, there shame lackeys.

Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation; and honor the reward of action.

Physicians, of all men, are most happy; whatever good success soever they have, the world proclaimeth; and what faults they commit, the earth covereth.

If thou desire to be held wise, be so wise as to hold thy tongue.

My mind's my kingdom.

Heav'n is not always got by running.

My soul, sit thou a patient looker-on; Judge not the play before the play is done: Her plot hath many changes; every day Speaks a new scene; the last act crowns the play

Let the greatest part of the news thou hearest be the least part of what thou believest, lest the greater part of what thou believest be the least part of what is true.

The way to bliss lies not on beds of down, And he that had no cross deserves no crown.

My soul, the seas are rough, and thou a stranger In these false coasts; O keep aloof; there's danger; Cast forth thy plummet; see, a rock appears; Thy ships want sea-room; make it with thy tears.

If virtue accompany it, it is the heart's paradise; if vice associate it, it is the soul's purgatory.

A lamb appears a lion, and we fear Each bush we see's a bear.

Charity feeds the poor, so does pride; charity builds an hospital, so does pride. In this they differ: charity gives her glory to God; pride takes her glory from man.

The goods we spend we keep; and what we save We lose; and only what we lose we have.

God's pleasure is at the end of our prayers.

If thou hast no inferiors, have patience awhile, and thou shalt have no superiors. The grave requires no marshal.