Francis Quarles Quotes (49 Quotes)

The sufficiency of merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient.

The fountain of beauty is the heart, and every generous thought illustrates the walls of your chamber.

If thou wouldst preserve a sound body, use fasting and walking if a healthful soul, fasting and praying. Walking exercises the body praying exercises the soul fasting cleanses both.

Wisdom not only gets, but once got, retains.

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.

That friendship will not continue to the end which is begun for an end.

Fear nothing but what thy industry may prevent; be confident of nothing but what fortune cannot defeat; it is no less folly to fear what is impossible to be avoided than to be secure when there is a possibility to be deprived.

Luxury is an enticing pleasure, a bastard mirth, which hath honey in her mouth, gall in her heart, and a sting in her tail.

Be wisely worldly, not worldly wise.

My mind's my kingdom.

Wickedness is its own punishment.

Put off thy cares with thy clothes; so shall thy rest strengthen thy labor, and so thy labor sweeten thy rest.

The world's a book, writ by the eternal art - Of the great author printed in man's heart, 'Tis falsely printed, though divinely penned, And all the errata will appear at the end.

Temper your enjoyments with prudence, lest there be written on your heart that fearful word "satiety."

Necessity of action takes away the fear of the act, and makes bold resolution the favorite of fortune.

And he repents in thorns that sleeps in beds of roses.

He that gives all, though but little, gives much because God looks not to the quantity of the gift, but to the quality of the givers.

And what's a life - a weary pilgrimage, Whose glory in one day doth fill the stage With childhood, manhood, and decrepit age

Beware of him that is slow to anger; for when it is long coming, it is the stronger when it comes, and the longer kept. Abused patience turns to fury.

He that hath no cross deserves no crown.

Obedience to truth known, is the king's highway to that which is still beyond us

The light of the understanding- humility kindleth and pride covereth.

The road to perseverance lies by doubt.

Let the fear of danger be a spur to prevent it; he that fears not, gives advantage to the danger.

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.

Even as the needle that directs the hour, (Touched with the loadstone) by the secret power Of hidden Nature, points upon the pole Even so the wavering powers of my soul,

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.

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.

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 w.

Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation. and honor the reward of action.

He that hath promised pardon on our repentance hat not promised life till we repent.

No cross no crown.

Flatter not thyself in thy faith in God if thou hast not charity for thy neighbor.

Be always displeased at what thou art, if thou desire to attain to what thou art not for where thou hast pleased thyself, there thou abidest.

Heaven is never deaf but when man's heart is dumb.

Physicians of all men are most happy what success so ever they have, the world proclaimeth, and what faults they commit, the earth covereth.

The breath of divine knowledge is the bellows of divine love, and the flame of divine love is the perfection of divine knowledge.

Be wisely worldly, but not worldly wise.

I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading, as I had in the writing.

The average person's ear weighs what you are, not what you were.

Has fortune dealt you some bad cards. Then let wisdom make you a good gamester.

Our God and soldiers we alike adore ev'n at the brink of danger not before After deliverance, both alike requited, Our God's forgotten, and our soldiers slighted.

What money creates, money preserves if thy wealth decays, thy honor dies it is but a slippery happiness which fortunes can give, and frowns can take and not worth the owning which a night's fire can melt, or a rough sea can drown

It is the lot of man but once to die.

No man is born unto himself alone Who lives unto himself, he lives to none.

Heaven finds an ear when sinners find a tongue.

My soul, what's lighter than a feather Wind. Than wind The fire. And what than fire The Mind. What's lighter than the mind A thought. Than thought This bubble world. What than this bubble Naught.

The heart is a small thing, but desireth great matters. It is not sufficient for a kite's dinner, yet the whole world is not sufficient for it.

My soul, sit thou a patient looker-on Judge not the play before the play is done Her plot hath many changes every day Speaks a new scene the last act crowns the play