Francis Quarles Quotes

The way to bliss lies not on beds of down,
And he that has no cross deserves no crown.

Shine Son of glory, and my sinnes are gone
Like twinkling Starres before the rising Sunne.

The world's an Inn; and I her guest.

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.

Anger, when it is long in coming, is the stronger when it comes, and the longer kept.

Let the fear of a danger be a spur to prevent it: He that fears otherwise, gives advantage to the danger.

Reason can discover
Things only near; sees nothing that's above her.

Let the greatest part of the news thou hearest be the least part of what thou believest, lest the greater part of what thou believest be the least part of what is true. Where lies are easily admitted the father of lies will not easily be excluded.

We spend our midday sweat, our midnight oil;
We tire the night in thought, the day in toil.

He that loves thee, He that keeps
And guards thee, never slumbers, never sleeps.

In having all things, and not Thee, what have I?
Not having Thee, what have my labors got?
Let me enjoy but Thee, what farther crave I?
And having Thee alone, what have I not?

Death aims with fouler spite
At fairer marks.

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

Let all thy joys be as the month of May
And all thy days be as a marriage day:
Let sorrow, sickness, and a troubled mind
Be stranger to thee.

Be wisely worldly, be not worldly wise.