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Patriotism: Quotations from Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations
Who would not be that youth? What pity is it That we can die but once to save our country!— ADDISON — Cato. Act IV. Sc. 4.
Our ships were British oak, And hearts of oak our men.— S. J. ARNOLD — Death of Nelson.
True patriots all; for be it understood We left our country for our country's good.— GEORGE BARRINGTON — New South
Wales. Prologue for the Opening of the Playhouse at New South Wales, Jan. 16, 1796. Be Briton still to Britain true, Among oursel's united; For never but by British hands Maun British wrangs be righted.— BURNS — Dumfries Volunteers.
While Washington's a watchword, such as ne'er Shall sink while there's an echo left to air.— BYRON — Age of Bronze. St. 5.
Again to the battle, Achaians! Our hearts bid the tyrants defiance! Our land, the first garden of liberty's tree- It has been, and shall yet be, the land of the free.— CAMPBELL — Song of the Greeks.
We join ourselves to no party that does not carry the flag and keep step to the music of the Union.— RUFUS CHOATE — Letter to a Worcester
Whig Convention. Oct. 1, 1855. I have heard something said about allegiance to the South: I know no South, no North, no East, no West, to which I owe any allegiance.— HENRY CLAY — In the U. S. Senate. 1848.
How sleep the brave, who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest! * * * * * * By fairy hands their knell is rung, By forms unseen their dirge is sung.— COLLINS — Ode Written in 1746.
Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong.— STEPHEN DECATUR — Toast given at
Norfolk, April, 1816. See MACKENZIE'S Life of Stephen Decatur. Ch. XIV. 'Twas for the good of my country that I should be abroad.— GEO. FARQUHAR — The Beaux' Stratagem. Act III. Sc. 2. L. 89.
O Washington! thrice glorious name, What due rewards can man decree- Empires are far below thy aim, And scepters have no charms for thee; Virtue alone has your regards, And she must be your great reward.— PHILIP FRENEAU — Washington's
Arrival in Philadelphia. Our country is the world-our countrymen are all mankind.— WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON — Motto of
the Liberator, 1837-1839. Such is the patriot's boast, where'er we roam, His first best country ever is at home.— GOLDSMITH — The Traveller. L. 73.
I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.— NATHAN HALE — (His Last Words,
Sept. 22, 1776.) STEWART'S Life of Capt. Nathan Hale. Ch. VII. Strike-for your altars and your fires; Strike-for the green graves of your sires; God-and your native land!— FITZ — GREENE HALLECK-Marco
Bozzaris. I am not a Virginian but an American.— PATRICK HENRY — In the Continental
Congress. Sept. 5, 1774, One flag, one land, one heart, one hand, One Nation evermore!— O. W. HOLMES — Voyage of the Good
Ship Union. Poems of the Class of '29. Old England is our home and Englishmen are we, Our tongue is known in every clime, our flag on every sea. S.— MARY HOWITT — Old England is Our
Home. Who fears to speak of Ninety-eight? Who blushes at the name? When cowards mock the patriot's fate, Who hangs his head for shame?— JOHN K. INGRAM — The Dublin Nation. April 1, 1843. Vol. II. P. 339.
Our federal Union : it must be preserved.— ANDREW JACKSON — Toast given at the
Jefferson Birthday Celebration in 1830. See W. J. SUMNER'S Life of Jackson. Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.— SAM'L JOHNSON — Boswell's Life of
Johnson. 1775. That man is little to be envied, whose patriotism would not gain force upon the plain of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the ruins of Iona.— SAM'L JOHNSON — A Journey to the
Western Islands. Inch Kenneth. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.— ABRAHAM LINCOLN — Inaugural
Address. March 4, 1861. This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.— ABRAHAM LINCOLN — Speech at
Gettysburg. Nov. 19, 1863. Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State! Sail on, O Union, strong and great! Humanity with all its fears, With all the hopes of future years, Is hanging breathless on thy fate! C.— LONGFELLOW — The Building of the Ship. L. 367.
And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers And the temple of his gods?— MACAULAY — Horatius keeps the Bridge.
To Greece we give our shining blades.— MOORE — Evenings in Greece. First
Evening. Life, for my country and the cause of freedom, Is but a trifle for a worm to part with; And, if preservèd in so great a contest, Life is redoubled.— NILES — The American Hero.
My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.— THOS. PAINE — Rights of Man. Ch. V.
Millions for defence, but not one cent for tribute.— CHAS. C. PINCKNEY — When Ambassador
to the French Republic. 1796. If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was landed in my country I never would lay down my arms, never! never! never! WILLIAM PITT (Earl of Chatham)- Speech. Nov. 18, 1777. When asked what State he hails from, Our sole reply shall be, He comes from Appomattox And its famous apple tree.— MILES O'REILLY — Poem quoted by
Roscoe Conkling. June, 1880. Where's the coward that would not dare To fight for such a land?— SCOTT — Marmion. Canto IV. St. 30.
Had I a dozen sons, -each in my love alike, *** I had rather have eleven die nobly for their country, than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.— Shakespeare — Coriolanus. Act I. Sc. 3. L. 24.
I do love My country's good with a respect more tender, More holy and profound, than mine own life.— Shakespeare — Coriolanus. Act III. Sc. 3. L. 111.
My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, - Of thee I sing : Land where my fathers died, Land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountain side Let freedom ring.— SAM'L F. SMITH — National Hymn.
O saviour of the silver-coasted isle.— TENNYSON — Ode on Death of Duke of Wellington. Pt. VI.
I was born an American; I live an American; I shall die an American!— DANIEL WEBSTER — Speech.
July 17, 1850. Let our object be, our country, our whole country, and nothing but our country.— DANIEL WEBSTER — Address at the
Laying of the Corner-Stone of the Bunker Hill Monument. June 17, 1825. Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and heart to this vote.— DANIEL WEBSTER — Eulogy on Adams
and Jefferson. Thank God, I-I also-am an American! S.— DANIEL WEBSTER — Completion of
Bunker Hill Monument. June 17, 1843. 66 Shoot, if you must, this old gray head, But spare your country's flag," she said.— WHITTIER — Barbara Frietchie. Our country-whether bounded by the St.
John's and the Sabine, or however otherwise bounded or described, and be the measurements more or less;-still our country, to be cherished in all our hearts, and to be defended by all our hands.— ROBT. C. WINTHROP — Toast at Faneuil
Hall. July 4, 1845. There are no points of the compass on the chart of true patriotism.— ROBT. C. WINTHROP — Letter to Boston
Commercial Club. June 12, 1879.
Intererit multum Davusne loquatur an heros. It makes a great difference whether Davus or a hero speaks.— HORACE — Ars Poetica. CXIV.
Præterea multo magis, ut vulgo dicitur viva vox afficit: nam licet acriora sint, quæ legas, ultius tamen in ammo sedent, quæ pronuntiatio, vultus, habitus, gestus dicentis adfigit. Besides, as is usually the case, we are much more affected by the words which we hear, for though what you read in books may be more pointed, yet there is something in the voice, the look, the carriage, and even the gesture of the speaker, that makes a deeper impression upon the mind. PLINY the Younger-Epistolæ. II.
Nihil ex omnibus rebus humanis est præclarius aut præstantius quam de republicâ bene mereri. Of all human things nothing is more honorable or more excellent than to deserve well of one's country.— CICERO — Epistolæ. X. 5.
O fortunata mors quæ, naturæ debita, pro patriâ potissimum redita! O happy death, which though due to nature is most nobly given for our country.— CICERO — Philippica. XIV. 12.
Patria est communis omnium parens. Our country is the common parent of all.— CICERO — Orationes in Catilinam. I. 7
Dulce et decorum est pro patriâ mori. It is sweet and glorious to die for one's country. P.— HORACE — Carmina. III. 2. 13.
Non ille pro caris amicis Aut patriâ timidus perire. He dares to die for his country or his friends.— HORACE — Carmina. IV. 9. 51.
Amor patriæ ratione valentior. The love of country is more powerful than reason itself.— OVID — Epistolæ Ex Ponto. I. 3. 29.
Nescio quâ natale solum dulcedine captos Ducit, et immemores non sinit esse sui. Our native land charms us with inexpressible sweetness, and never allows us to forget that we belong to it.— OVID — Epistolæ Ex Ponto. I. 3. 35.
Patria est ubicumque vir fortis sedem elegerit. A brave man's country is wherever he chooses his abode.— QUINTUS CURTIUS RUFUS — De Rebus
Gestis Alexandri Magni. VI. 4. 13. Præferre patriam liberis regem decet. A king should prefer his country to his children. C.— SENECA — Troades. 332.
Servare cives, major est virtus patriæ patri. To preserve the life of citizens, is the greatest virtue in the father of his country.— SENECA — Octavia. 444.
À tous les cœurs bien nés que la patrie est chère! How dear is the fatherland to all noble hearts!— VOLTAIRE — Tancrède. III. 1.
Je meurs content, je meurs pour la liberté de mon pays. I die content, I die for the liberty of my country. b. Attributed to LE PELLETIER, also to