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Quotes by Sit. Thomas Browne
When we desire to confine our words, we commonly say they are spoken under the rose.— filed under Words
Now nature is not at variance with art, nor art with nature; they being both the servants of his providence. Art is the perfection of nature. Were the world now as it was the sixth day, there were yet a chaos. Nature hath made one world, and art another. In brief, all things are artificial; for nature is the art of God.— filed under Art
Circles and right lines limit and close all bodies, and the mortal right-lined circle must conclude and shut up all.— filed under Circles
The thousand doors that lead to death.— filed under Death
What song the Syrens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women.— filed under Deceit
Sunrise. Have too rashly charged the troops of error and remain as trophies unto the enemies of truth.— filed under Error
There is a garden in her face, Where roses and white lilies blow; A heavenly paradise is that place, Wherein all pleasant fruits do grow. There cherries grow that none may buy, Till cherry ripe themselves do cry. From An Howres Recreation in Musike. 1606. Set to music by RICHARD ALISON. OLIPHANT'S La Messa Madrigalesca. P. 229. It is the common wonder of all men, how among so many millions of faces there should be none alike.— filed under Face
Herostratus lives that burnt the temple of Diana; he is almost lost that built it.— filed under Fame
I have loved my friends as I do virtue, my soul, my God.— filed under Friends
Now with my friend I desire not to share or I may more easily participate, but to engross his sorrows, that, , and by making them mine own, I may more easily discuss them; for in mine own reason within within myself, I can command that which I cannot entreat without myself, and the circle of another.— filed under Friends
GRAVE (THE). Gra Gravestones tell truth scarce forty years.— filed under Gratitude
The heart of man is the place the devil dwells in; I feel sometimes a hell dwells within myself.— filed under Heart
Lawn. To be nameless in worthy deeds, exceeds an infamous history.— filed under Humility
Last lines. There is nothing strictly immortal, but immortality. Whatever hath no beginning may be confident of no end.— filed under Immortality
Life is a pure flame, and we live by an invisible sun within us.— filed under Life
Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes and pompous in the grave.— filed under Man
Gold once out of the earth is no more due unto it; what was unreasonably committed to the ground, is reasonably resumed from it; let monuments and rich fabricks, not riches, adorn men's ashes.— filed under Monuments
To extend our memories by monuments, whose death we daily pray for, and whose duration we cannot hope, without injury to our expectations in the advent of the last day, were a contradiction to our belief.— filed under Monuments
And sure there is music even in the beauty, and the silent note which Cupid strikes, far sweeter than the sound of an instrument; for there is music wherever there is harmony, order, or proportion; and thus far we may maintain the music of the spheres.— filed under Music
C. Act III. Sc. 1. Now nature is not at variance with art, nor art with nature, they being both servants of his providence: art is the perfection of nature; were the world now as it was the sixth day, there were yet a chaos; nature hath made one world, and art another. In brief, all things are artificial; for nature is the art of God.— filed under Nature
Rich with the spoils of nature.— filed under Nature
There are no grotesques in nature; not anything framed to fill up empty cantons, and unnecessary spaces.— filed under Nature
Oblivion is not to be hired.— filed under Oblivion
I look upon you as a gem of the old rock.— filed under Proverbs
Persecution is a bad and indirect way to plant religion.— filed under Religion
Gray. Sleep is a death, O make me try, By sleeping, what it is to die: And as gently lay my head On my grave, as now my bed.— filed under Sleep
Highland Solitude. There is no such thing as solitude, nor anything that can be said to be alone and by itself, but God, who is his own circle, and can subsist by himself. C.— filed under Solitude
Think not thy time short in this world, since the world itself is not long. The created world is but a small parenthesis in eternity, and a short interposition, for a time, between such a state of duration as was before it and may be after it.— filed under Time
But where life is more terrible than death, it then the truest valour is then the truest valour to dare to live. i. to dare to live.— filed under Valor
Where we desire to be informed 'tis good to contest with men above ourselves; but to confirm and establish our opinions, 'tis best to argue with judgments below our own, that the frequent spoils and victories over their reasons may settle in ourselves an esteem and confirmed opinion of our own.— filed under Argument
Corydon. There is musick, even in the beauty and the silent note which Cupid strikes, far sweeter than the sound of an instrument.— filed under Love