Home / Authors / Edmund Spenser

Edmund Spenser Quotes

Poet

Edmund Spenser, a renowned English poet, was born in England in 1552. His poetry has had a profound impact on literature, with his epic poem 'The Faerie Queene' being hailed as a classic of English literature.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men Heart Ifs Gentle Mind Doe Love May Fall Grace Heaven Sweet Bitter Deeds Grows Ill Poetry Wells World Firsts

Famous Edmund Spenser Quotes

“Is not short paine well borne, that brings long ease,And layes the soul to sleepe in quiet grave?Sleepe after toyle, port after stormie seas,Ease after warre, death after life does greatly please.”

Wells Long Doe Soul Sea Please Quiet Graves Ease Port Paine

Book:Spenser: Book II of the Faery Queen

Source: Spenser: Book II of the Faery Queen

“Dan Chaucer, well of English undefyled,On Fames eternall beadroll worthie to be fyled.”

Wells Fame Chaucer

Book:The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser

Source: The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser

“Who would ever care to do brave deed, Or strive in virtue others to excel, If none should yield him his deserved meed Due praise, that is the spur of doing well? For if good were not praised more than ill, None would choose goodness of his own free will.”

Ifs Should Wells Care Virtue Goodness Praise Brave Strive Ill Deeds Dues Free Will Yield Spurs

Author:Edmund Spenser

“What man so wise, what earthly wit so ware, As to descry the crafty cunning train, By which deceit doth mask in visor fair, And cast her colours dyed deep in grain, To seem like truth, whose shape she well can feign, And fitting gestures to her purpose frame, The guiltless man with guile to entertain?”

Men Wells Seems Purpose Wise Shapes Fairs Train Casts Wit Colour Mask Deceit Gestures Grain Cunning Fitting Crafty Guile

Book:Fierce Wars and Faithful Loves: Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene

Source: Fierce Wars and Faithful Loves: Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene

“After her came jolly June, arrayed All in green leaves, as he a player were; Yet in his time he wrought as well as played, That by his plough-irons mote right well appear. Upon a crab he rode, that did him bear, With crooked crawling steps, an uncouth pace, And backward rode, as bargemen wont to fare, Bending their force contrary to their face; Like that ungracious crew which feigns demurest grace.”

Wells Faces Force Steps Grace Player Bears Spring Green Contrary Iron Pace Crew June Crooked Crawling Bending Jolly Crabs Uncouth Green Leaves

Author:Edmund Spenser

“The gentle mind by gentle deeds is known, For a man by nothing is so well betrayed As by his manners.”

Men Mind Wells Known Deeds Manners Gentle Betrayed

Author:Edmund Spenser

About the Author

Born: 1552
Died: January 13, 1599
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 153

Books & Sources

The poetical works of Edmund Spenser: With memoir and critical dissertationsRelated source material

The Works of Edmund Spenser: With Observations of His Life and WritingsRelated source material

Amoretti And EpithalamionRelated source material

Hymns. Visions. Elegiac poemsRelated source material

Minor poemsRelated source material

Poetical worksRelated source material

The Poetical Works of Edmund SpenserRelated source material

The Works of Mr. Edmund SpenserRelated source material

Books I and II of the Faerie queene: the mutability cantos, and selections from the minor poetryRelated source material

Delphi Complete Works of Edmund Spenser (Illustrated)Related source material

Similar Authors

George HerbertBrowse related quotes
Francois de La RochefoucauldBrowse related quotes
Jean de la BruyereBrowse related quotes
Joseph AddisonBrowse related quotes
Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron LyttonBrowse related quotes
Thomas CarlyleBrowse related quotes
Thomas a KempisBrowse related quotes
EuripidesBrowse related quotes
James Russell LowellBrowse related quotes
John DrydenBrowse related quotes