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Francis Quarles Quotes

Poet

Francis Quarles, a renowned English poet, was born on May 8, 1592, and died on September 8, 1644. His poetry focused on religious and moral themes, deeply influenced by Puritan thought.

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All Ifs Thee Men May Soul World Heart Way Desire Literature Virtue Giving Thyself Action Ends Firsts Glory Charity Danger Fire

Famous Francis Quarles Quotes

“God is alpha and omega in the great world: endeavor to make him so in the little world; make him thy evening epilogue and thy morning prologue; practice to make him thy last thought at night when thou sleepest, and thy first thought in the morning when thou awakest; so shall thy fancy be sanctified in the night, and thy understanding rectified in the day; so shall thy rest be peaceful, thy labors prosperous, thy life pious, and thy death glorious.”

Source: Enchiridion: Containing Institutions Divine Contemplative Practical: Moral Ethical Oeconomical Political

“Be very vigilant over thy child in the April of his understanding, lest the frost of May nip his blossoms. While he is a tender twig, straighten him; whilst he is a new vessel, season him; such as thou makest him, such commonly shall thou find him. Let his first lesson be obedience and his second shall be what thou wilt.”

Firsts May Children Understanding Lessons Seasons Obedience Vessel April Frost Vigilant Twigs Makest

Author:Francis Quarles

“Let the words of a virgin, though in a good cause, and to as good purpose, be neither violent, many, nor first, nor last; it is less shame for a virgin to be lost in a blushing silence than to be found in a bold eloquence.”

Firsts Lasts Purpose Found Lost Causes Silence Shame Violent Virgins Eloquence Blushing Good Causes

Book:Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

Source: Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

“Be as far from desiring the popular love as fearful to deserve the popular hate; ruin dwells in both: the one will hug thee to death; the other will crush thee to destruction: to escape the first, be not ambitious; to avoid the second, be not seditious.”

Love Firsts Hate Deserve Destruction Ruins Thee Crush Fearful Ambitious Hug Popularity

Book:Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

Source: Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

“Things temporal are sweeter in the expectation, things eternal are sweeter in the fruition; the first shames thy hope, the second crowns it; it is a vain journey, whose end affords less pleasure than the way.”

Way Firsts Ends Pleasure Journey Eternal Expectations Shame Vain Anticipation Crowns Fruition

Book:Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

Source: Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

“There be three sorts of government--monarchical, aristocratical, democratical; and they are apt to fall three several ways into ruin--the first, by tyranny; the second, by ambition; the last, by tumults. A commonwealth grounded upon any one of these is not of long continuance; but, wisely mingled, each guards the other and makes that government exact.”

Way Firsts Long Government Lasts Fall Three Ambition Tyranny Ruins Grounded Commonwealth Tumult Continuance

Book:Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

Source: Enchiridion Institutions, Essays and Maxims, political, moral & divine. Divided into four centuries. By Francis Quarles

“Sin is a basilisk whose eyes are full of venom. If the eye of thy soul see her first, it reflects her own poison and kills her; if she see thy soul, unseen, or seen too late, with her poison, she kills thee: since therefore thou canst not escape thy sin, let not thy sin escape thy observation.”

Ifs Firsts Soul Eye Sin Late Observation Thee Poison Too Late Unseen Venom

Author:Francis Quarles

“If thou desire to purchase honor with thy wealth, consider first how that wealth became thine; if thy labor got it, let thy wisdom keep it; if oppression found it, let repentance restore it; if thy parent left it, let thy virtues deserve it; so shall thy honor be safer, better and cheaper.”

Ifs Firsts Desire Found Left Parent Wealth Virtue Honor Deserve Labor Oppression Repentance Cheaper

Author:Francis Quarles

“I here present thee with a hive of bees, laden some with wax, and some with honey. Fear not to approach! there are no wasps, there are no hornets here. If some wanton bee chance to buzz about thine ears, stand thy ground and hold thy hands-there's none will sting thee, if thou strike not first. If any do, she hath honey in her bag will cure thee too.”

Ifs Firsts Hands Chance Approach Ears Strikes Cures Thee Bags Honey Bees Fear Not Buzz Wanton Hives Wasps Hornets

Author:Francis Quarles