Abraham Cowley quotes

Abraham Cowley was an English poet and essayist, recognized as a leading figure of early seventeenth-century literature. His witty metaphysical poetry and scholarly works greatly influenced his contemporaries. He made significant contributions to both poetry and prose, shaping English literary tradition. Here are 45 of his quotes:

His faith, perhaps, in some nice tenets might Be wrong; his life, I'm sure, was in the right. (Abraham Cowley)
Life is an incurable disease. View quote
Abraham Cowley
God the first garden made, and the first city Cain. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Nothing is to come, and nothing past: But an eternal now, does always last. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Of all ills that one endures, hope is a cheap and universal cure. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Thus each extreme to equal danger tends, Plenty, as well as Want, can sep'rate friends. View quote
Abraham Cowley
What shall I do to be for ever known, And make the age to come my own? View quote
Abraham Cowley
Awake, awake, my Lyre!And tell thy silent master's humble taleIn sounds that may prevail;Sounds that gentle thoughts inspire:Though so exalted sheAnd I so lowly beTell her, such different notes make all thy harmony. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Thus would I double my life's fading space;For he that runs it well, runs twice his race. View quote
Abraham Cowley
To be a husbandman, is but a retreat from the city; to be a philosopher, from the world; or rather, a retreat from the world, as it is man's, into the world, as it is God's. View quote
Abraham Cowley
The monster London laugh at me. (Abraham Cowley)
His time is forever, everywhere his place. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Beauty, thou wild fantastic ape Who dost in every country change thy shape! View quote
Abraham Cowley
Why to mute fish should'st thou thyself discover And not to me, thy no less silent lover? View quote
Abraham Cowley
A mighty pain to love it is, And 't is a pain that pain to miss; But of all pains, the greatest pain It is to love, but love in vain. View quote
Abraham Cowley
When Israel was from bondage led, Led by the Almighty's hand From out of foreign land, The great sea beheld and fled. View quote
Abraham Cowley
I sing the Man who Judahs Scepter bore In that right hand which held the Crook before; Who from best Poet, best of Kings did grow; The two chief gifts Heav'n could on Man bestow. View quote
Abraham Cowley
We spent them not in toys, in lusts, or wine, But search of deep philosophy, Wit, eloquence, and poetry; Arts which I lov'd, for they, my friend, were thine. View quote
Abraham Cowley
We griev'd, we sigh'd, we wept; we never blush'd before. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Oh happy, (if his happiness he knows) The Countrey Swain! on whom kind Heav'n bestows At home all Riches that wise Nature needs; Whom the just Earth with easie plenty feeds. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Fond archer, Hope! who tak'st thy aim so far, That still or short, or wide thine arrows are! (Abraham Cowley)
Curiosity does, no less than devotion, pilgrims make. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Solitude can be used well by very few people. They who do must have a knowledge of the world to see the foolishness of it, and enough virtue to despise all the vanity. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Well did he know how Palms by oppression speed, Victorious, and the Victors sacred Meed! The Burden lifts them higher. Well did he know, How a tame stream does wild and dangerous grow By unjust force; he now with wanton play, Kisses the smiling Banks, and glides But his known Channel stopt, begins to roare, And swell with rage, and buffet the dull shore. His mutinous waters hurry to the War, And Troops of Waves come rolling from afar. Then scorns he such weak stops to his free source, And overruns the neighboring fields with violent course. View quote
Abraham Cowley
Hence, ye profane! I hate ye all, Both the great vulgar and the small. View quote
Abraham Cowley