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Quotes by S. Prior
55 quotations from The Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1896), with the subject each one is filed under.
When people once are in the wrong, Each line they add is much too long; Who fastest walks, but walks astray, Is only furthest from his way.— filed under Eternity
My copper-lamps, at any rate, For being true antique, I bought; Yet wisely melted down my plate, On modern models to be wrought; And trifles I alike pursue, Because they're old, because they're new.— filed under Apparel
In argument Similes are like songs in love: They must describe; they nothing prove.— filed under Argument
One single positive weighs more, You know, than negatives a score.— filed under Art
Soon their crude notions with each other fought; The adverse sect denied what this had taught; And he at length the amplest triumph gain'd, Who contradicted what the last maintain'd.— filed under Art
For, when with beauty we can virtue join, We paint the semblance of a form divine.— filed under Beauty
No longer shall the bodice aptly lac'd From thy full bosom to thy slender waist, That air and harmony of shape express, Fine by degrees, and beautifully less.— filed under Beauty
Till their own dreams at length deceive 'em, And oft repeating, they believe 'em.— filed under Belief
A golden chariot in the midst is set, And silver signets seem to feel its weight.— filed under Birds-Cuckoo
Or have you mark'd a partridge quake, Viewing the towering falcon nigh? She cuddles low behind the brake: Nor would she stay; nor dares she fly.— filed under Birds-Owl
No man's defects sought they to know; So never made themselves a foe. No man's good deeds did they commend; So never rais'd themselves a friend.— filed under Character
So much his courage and his mercy strive, He wounds to cure, and conquers to forgive.— filed under Character
Soft peace she brings, wherever she arrives: She builds our quiet, as she forms our lives : Lays the rough paths of peevish Nature even And opens in each heart a little Heaven.— filed under Charity
Road. Abra was ready ere I call'd her name; And, though I call'd another, Abra came.— filed under Constancy
He, perfect dancer, climbs the rope, And balances your fear and hope.— filed under Dancing
When treading London's well-known ground If e'er I feel my spirits tire, I haul my sail, look up around, In search of Whitbread's best entire. q. From The Myrtle and the Vine." A Complete Vocal Library. A Pot of Porter, Ho! They never taste who always drink.— filed under Drinking
Nelson. (See description of his last battle.) Thy sum of duty let two words contain, (O may they graven in thy heart remain!) Be humble and be just.— filed under Duty
Nobles and heralds, by your leave, Here lies what once was Matthew Prior; The son of Adam and of Eve; Can Bourbon or Nassau claim higher?— filed under Epitaph
Timely advis'd, the coming evil shun: Better not do the deed, than weep it done.— filed under Aristophanes
And when the parent-rose decays and dies, With a resembling face the daughter-buds arise.— filed under Flowers-Rose
For hope is but the dream of those that wake!— filed under Hope
From ignorance our comfort flows, The only wretched are the wise.— filed under Imagination
Instinct and reason how can we divide? 'Tis the fool's ignorance, and the pedant's pride.— filed under Instinct
In vain I trusted that the flowing bowl Would banish sorrow, and enlarge the soul. To the late revel, and protracted feast, Wild dreams succeeded, and disorder'd rest.— filed under Intemperance
Pray. The man who by his labour gets His bread, in independent state, Who never begs, and seldom eats, Himself can fix or change his fate.— filed under Labor
Our days begin with trouble here, our life is but a span, And cruel death is always near, so frail a thing is man. New England Primer. 1777. So vanishes our state; so pass our days; So life but opens now, and now decays; The cradle and the tomb, alas! so nigh, To live is scarce distinguish'd from to die.— filed under Life
Who breathes must suffer; and who thinks, must mourn ; And he alone is bless'd who ne'er was born. S.— filed under Life
So, if unprejudiced you scan The goings of this clock-work, man, You find a hundred movements made By fine devices in his head; But 'tis the stomach's solid stroke That tells his being what's o'clock.— filed under Man
His noble negligences teach What others' toils despair to reach.— filed under Neglect
At night astronomers agree.— filed under Occupations-Alchemy
Let him be kept from paper, pen, and ink; So may he cease to write, and learn to think.— filed under Occupations-Authorship
On Same Person. 'Tis not how well an author says, But 'tis how much, that gathers praise.— filed under Occupations-Authorship
But, when the wit began to wheeze, And wine had warm'd the politician, Cur'd yesterday of my disease, I died last night of my physician.— filed under Ovid
Disease You tell your doctor, that y' are ill; And what does he, but write a bill, Of which you need not read one letter; The worse the scrawl, the dose the better. For if you knew but what you take, Though you recover, he must break.— filed under Ovid
XXVI. Readers and Writers. The merchant, to secure his treasure, Conveys it in a borrow'd name.— filed under Occupations-Mercantile
And oft the pangs of absence to remove By letters, soft interpreters of love.— filed under Occupations-Post
Ev'n so, with all submission, I * * * * * * Send you each year a homely letter, Who may return me much a better.— filed under Occupations-Post
All jargon of the schools.— filed under Occupations-Tailoring
Ere on thy chin the springing beard began To spread a doubtful down, and promise man.— filed under Occupations-Tonsorial
Farewell to Phillis. My Book and Heart Shall never part. S. From the New England Primer. 1814. Now fitted the halter, now travers'd the cart, And often took leave; but was loth to part.— filed under Parting
aa. Of two evils I have chose the least.— filed under Proverbs
The end must justify the means.— filed under Iii
The gray mare will prove the better horse.— filed under Iii
That air and harmony of shape express, Fine by degrees, and beautifully less.— filed under Quality
He ranged his tropes, and preached up patience, Backed his opinion with quotations.— filed under Rain
The end must justify the means.— filed under Results
The King of France went up the hill, With twenty thousand men; The King of France came down the hill, And ne'er went up again. DICK TARLTON'S Song. In a tract called PIGGE'S Corantol; or, News from the North. Pub. London, 1642. What is a king? a man condemn'd to bear The public burthen of the nation's care.— filed under Royalty
Odds life! must one swear to the truth of a song?— filed under Song
From the German. The winds grow high; Impending tempests charge the sky; The lightning flies, the thunder roars; And big waves lash the frightened shores.— filed under Storm
They never taste who always drink; They always talk who never think.— filed under Talk
Variety alone gives joy: The sweetest meats the soonest cloy. C.— filed under Variety
A Rechabite poor Will must live, And drink of Adam's ale.— filed under Water
Be to her virtues very kind; Be to her faults a little blind.— filed under Woman
That if weak women went astray, Their stars were more in fault than they.— filed under Woman
*** They say That, putting all his words together, 'Tis three blue beans in one blue bladder.— filed under Words