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Story-Telling: Quotations from Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations
Dear Ellen, your tales are all plenteously stored, With the joy of some bride and the wealth of her lord, Of her chariots and dresses, And worldly caresses, And servants that fly when she's waited upon : But what can she boast if she weds unbeloved? Can she e'er feel the joy that one morning I proved, When I put on my new gown and waited for John?— BLOOMFIELD — The Banks of Wye. Gleaner's Song. St. 1.
A schoolboy's tale, the wonder of an hour!— BYRON — Childe Harold. Canto II. St. 2.
A story, in which native humour reigns, Is often useful, always entertains; A graver fact, enlisted on your side, May furnish illustration, well applied; But sedentary weavers of long tales Give me the fidgets, and my patience fails.— COWPER — Conversation. L. 203.
In this our spacious isle I think there is not one But he hath heard some talk of Hood and Little John, Of Tuck, the merry friar, which many a sermon made In praise of Robin Hood, his outlaws, and their trade.— DRAYTON — Polyolbion.
This story will never go down.— HENRY FIELDING — Tumble-Down Dick.
Air I. When thou dost tell another's jest, therein Omit the oaths, which true wit cannot need; Pick out of tales the mirth, but not the sin.— HERBERT — Temple. Church Porch. St. 11.
And what so tedious as a twice-told tale.— HOMER — Odyssey. Bk. XII. Last Line.
Pope's trans. I hate To tell again a tale once fully told.— HOMER — Odyssey. Bk. XII. L. 566.
Bryant's trans. Soft as some song divine, thy story flows.— HOMER — Odyssey. Bk. XI. L. 458.
Pope's trans. An' all us other children, when the supper things is done, We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun A-list'nin' to the witch tales 'at Annie tells about, An' the gobble-uns 'at gits you Ef you Don't Watch Out!— JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY — Little
Orphant Annie. I cannot tell how the truth may be; I say the tale as 'twas said to me.— SCOTT — Lay of the Last Minstrel. Canto II. St. 22.
And thereby hangs a tale.— Shakespeare — Taming of the Shrew. Act IV. Sc. 1. L. 60.
For seldom shall she hear a tale So sad, so tender, yet so true.— S. SHENSTONE — Jemmy Dawson. St. 20.
He cometh unto you with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney corner.— SIR PHILIP SIDNEY — The Defense of
Poesy. In after-dinner talk, Across the walnuts and the wine.— TENNYSON — The Miller's Daughter.
A tale in everything.— WORDSWORTH — Simon Lee.