John Denham quotes

John Denham was an English poet and courtier, recognized for his influential role in 17th-century literature. His most famous work is the poem "Cooper's Hill," which pioneered the use of reflective landscape verse in English poetry. He contributed significantly to the development of descriptive and meditative poetry. Here are 18 of his quotes:

Nor ought a genius less than his that writ attempt translation. (John Denham)
Books should to one of these four ends conduce, For wisdom, piety, delight, or use. View quote
John Denham
Search not to find what lies too deeply hid, Nor to know things, whose knowledge is forbid. View quote
John Denham
Youth, what man's age is like to be, doth show; We may our ends by our beginnings know. View quote
John Denham
Actions of the last age are like almanacs of the last year. View quote
John Denham
Poetry is of so subtle a spirit, that in the pouring out of one language into another it will evaporate. View quote
John Denham
Such is our pride, our folly, or our fate, That few, but such as cannot write, translate. View quote
John Denham
But whither am I strayed? I need not raise Trophies to thee from other men's dispraise; Nor is thy fame on lesser ruins built; Nor needs thy juster title the foul guilt Of Eastern kings, who, to secure their reign, Must have their brothers, sons, and kindred slain. View quote
John Denham
We are never like angels till our passion dies. View quote
John Denham
Though with those streams he no resemblance hold, Whose foam is amber and their gravel gold; His genuine and less guilty wealth t' explore, Search not his bottom, but survey his shore. View quote
John Denham
I conceive it is a vulgar error in translating poets, to affect being fidus interpres... [for] poetry is of so subtile a spirit, that in the pouring out of one language into another, it will all evaporate; and if a new spirit be not added in the transfusion, there will remain nothing but a caput mortuum, there being certain graces and happinesses peculiar to every language, which give life and energy to the words... therefore if Virgil must needs speak English, it were fit he should speak not only as a man of this nation, but as [a] man of this age. (John Denham)
That servile path thou nobly dost decline Of tracing word by word, and line by line; A new and nobler way thou dost pursue To make translations, and translators too; They but preserve the ashes, thou the flame, True to his sense, but truer to his fame. View quote
John Denham
Let not the pleasing many thee delight, First judge if those whom thou dost please judge right. View quote
John Denham
Search not to find what lies too deeply hid, Nor to know things whose knowledge is forbid; Nor climb on pyramids, which thy head turn round Standing, and whence no safe descent is found. View quote
John Denham
Search not to find how other men offend, But by that glass thy own offences mend; Still seek to learn, yet care not much from whom, (So it be learning) or from whence it come. Of thy own actions, others' judgments learn; Often by small, great matters we discern: Youth what man's age is like to be doth show; We may our ends by our beginnings know. View quote
John Denham
Wisdom of what herself approves makes choice, Nor is led captive by the common voice. Clear-sighted Reason Wisdom's judgment leads, And Sense, her vassal, in her footsteps treads. That thou to Truth the perfect way may'st know, To thee all her specific forms I'll show: He that the way to honesty will learn, First what's to be avoided must discern. Thyself from flatt'ring self-conceit defend, Nor what thou dost not know to know pretend. Some secrets deep in abstruse darkness lie: To search them thou wilt need a piercing eye. Not rashly therefore to such things assent, Which, undeceived, thou after may'st repent; Study and time in these must thee instruct, And others' old experience may conduct. Wisdom herself her ear doth often lend To counsel offer'd by a faithful friend. View quote
John Denham
Ambition is like love, impatient Both of delays and rivals. View quote
John Denham
Wisdom's first progress is to take a view What's decent or indecent, false or true. View quote
John Denham