Famous Francis Quarles Quotations

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"If thou desire the love of God and man, be humble, for the proud heart, as it loves none but itself, is beloved of none but itself. Humility enforces where neither virtue, nor strength, nor reason can prevail."
by Francis Quarles
"And he repents in thorns that sleeps in beds of roses."
by Francis Quarles
"Be wisely worldly, be not worldly wise."
by Francis Quarles
"Be very circumspect in the choice of thy company. In the society of thine equals thou shalt enjoy more pleasure; in the society of thy superiors thou shalt find more profit. To be the best in the company is the way to grow worse."
by Francis Quarles
"Be very circumspect in the choice of thy company. In the society of thine equals thou shalt enjoy more pleasure in the society of thy superiors thou shalt find more profit. To be the best in the company is the way to grow worse."
by Francis Quarles
"If thy words be too luxuriant, confine them, lest they confine thee. He that thinks he can never speak enough, may easily speak too much. A full tongue and an empty brain are seldom parted."
by Francis Quarles
"If thou desire to purchase honor with thy wealth, consider first how that wealth became thine; if thy labor got it, let thy wisdom keep it; if oppression found it, let repentance restore it; if thy parent left it, let thy virtues deserve it; so shall thy honor be safer, better and cheaper."
by Francis Quarles
"Let the fear of danger be a spur to prevent it; he that fears not, gives advantage to the danger."
by Francis Quarles
"Let the fear of danger be a spur to prevent it he that fears not, gives advantage to the danger."
by Francis Quarles
"Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly thyself. If thou find anything questionable there, use the commentary of a severe friend rather than the gloss of a sweet lipped flatterer; there is more profit in a distasteful truth than in deceitful sweetness."
by Francis Quarles
"Rather do what is nothing in the purpose than to be idle, that the devil may find thee doing. The bird that sits is easily shot when the fliers escape the fowler. Idleness is the Dead Sea that swallows all the virtues, and is the self-made sepulcher of a living man."
by Francis Quarles
"Socrates called beauty a short-lived tyranny; Plato, a privilege of nature; Theophrastus, a silent cheat; Theocritus, a delightful prejudice; Carneades, a solitary kingdom; Aristotle, that it was better than all the letters of recommendation in the world; Homer, that it was a glorious gift of nature; and Ovid, that it was favor bestowed by the gods."
by Francis Quarles
"That friendship will not continue to the end which is begun for an end."
by Francis Quarles
"The road to perseverance lies by doubt."
by Francis Quarles
"Temper your enjoyments with prudence, lest there be written on your heart that fearful word satiety."
by Francis Quarles
"Flatter not thyself in thy faith in God if thou hast not charity for thy neighbor."
by Francis Quarles
"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."
by Francis Quarles
"Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation. and honor the reward of action."
by Francis Quarles
"Wisdom not only gets, but once got, retains."
by Francis Quarles


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