Coventry Patmore Quotes

The ardour chills us which we do not share.

The modern Agnostic improves upon the ancient by adding "I don't care" to "I don't know".

Creation differs from subsistence only as the first leap of a fountain differs from its continuance.

It is one thing to be blind, and another to be in darkness.

Science is a line, art a superficies, and life, or the knowledge of God, a solid.

Ther are not two sides to any question that really concerns a man, but only one, and this side only a fool can fail to see if he tries.

If you try to simplify or pare off the superfluous from the minds and speech of most men, you will find that nothing is left. There is no simplicity in them, for there is no truth; truth and simplicity being, as Aquinas says, the same thing.

All reasoning ends in an appeal to self-evidence.

The midge's wing beats to and fro
A thousand times ere one can utter "O!"

The flower of olden sanctities.

None thrives for long upon the happiest dream.

For want of me the world’s course will not fail;
When all its work is done the lie shall rot;
The truth is great and shall prevail
When none cares whether it prevail or not.

Having my law the seventh time disobey'd,
I struck him, and dismiss'd
With hard words and unkiss'd,
—His Mother, who was patient, being dead.

To have nought
Is to have all things without care or thought!

Life is not life at all without delight.