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James Russell Lowell

James Russell Lowell Quotes

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Famous James Russell Lowell Quotes

“Earth gets its price for what Earth gives us; The beggar is taxed for a corner to die in, The priest hath his fee who comes and shrives us, We bargain for the graves we lie in; Each ounce of dross costs its ounce of gold... 'T is heaven alone that is given away, 'T is only God may be had for the asking; There is no price set on the lavish summer, And June may be had by the poorest comer.”

GivingMayEarthLyingDiesGivenHeavenMoneyCostSummerGoldAskingCornersGravesPriestsJuneBeggarBargainsPoorestFeesDross
Book:The Early Poems of James Russell Lowell: With Biographical Sketch
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“Over our manhood bend the skies; Against our fallen and traitor lives The great winds utter prophecies; With our faint hearts the mountain strives, Its arms outstretched, the druid wood Waits with its benedicite And to our ageÂ’s drowsy blood Still shouts the inspiring sea.”

HeartStillsAgeWaitingNatureBloodSeaSkyWindArmsMountainStriveWoodsFallenProphecyManhoodStrifeTraitorDrowsyDruids
Book:The poetical works of James Russell Lowell
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“The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change; Then let it come: I have no dread of what Is called for by the instinct of mankind. Nor think I that God's world would fall apart Because we tear a parchment more or less. Truth is eternal, but her effluence, With endless change, is fitted to the hour; Her mirror is turned forward, to reflect The promise of the future, not the past. I do not fear to follow out the truth.”

ThinkingWorldPastFallHoursSocietyMankindTearsPromiseTruth IsEternalMirrorsInstinctEndlessDreadFalling ApartRottenRipeDo Not FearPromise Of The Future
Book:Poems
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“Now the heart is so full that a drop overfills it, We are happy now because God so wills it; No matter how barren the past may have been, 'T is enough for us now that the leaves are green; We sit in the warm shade and feel right well How the sap creeps up and the blossoms swell... The breeze comes whispering in our ear, That dandelions are blossoming near... Every thing is upward striving; 'T is as easy now for the heart to be true As for grass to be green or skies to be blue, - 'T is the natural way of living.”

WayFeelsWellsHeartMayHas BeensMatterEnoughPastEasyNaturalSkySummerEarsBlueGreenStriveWarmBeing TrueGrassShadeBreezeCreepsWhisperingBarrenFeels RightSapBlossomingDandelions
Author:James Russell Lowell
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“In the storm, like a prophet o'ermaddened, Thou singest and tossest thy branches; Thy heart with the terror is gladdened, Thou forebodest the dread avalanches.... In the calm thou o'erstretchest the valleys With thine arms, as if blessings imploring, Like an old king led forth from his palace, When his people to battle are pouring.”

PeopleIfsHeartArmsKingsBattleBlessingCalmTerrorStormProphetBranchesValleysDreadPalacesPouringAvalanches
Book:Delphi Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell (Illustrated)
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“Suddenly all the sky is hid As with the shutting of a lid, One by one great drops are falling Doubtful and slow, Down the pane they are crookedly crawling, And the wind breathes low; Slowly the circles widen on the river, Widen and mingle, one and all; Here and there the slenderer flowers shiver, Struck by an icy rain-drop’s fall.”

FallSkyWindFlowerLowsRainRiversBreatheCirclesWeatherSlow DownHere And ThereDoubtfulCrawlingShiverIcyRain Drop
Book:The poetical works of James Russell Lowell
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“Now on the hills I hear the thunder mutter... Nearer and nearer rolls the thunder-clap, - You can hear the quick heart of the tempest beat.... Look! look! that livid flash! And instantly follows the rattling thunder, As if some cloud-crag, split asunder, Fell, splintering with a ruinous crash, On the Earth, which crouches in silence under; And now a solid gray wall of rain Shuts off the landscape, mile by mile.”

IfsLooksHeartEarthSilenceWallBeatsRainCloudsMilesWeatherHillsLandscapeGraySplitsFlashCrashThunderTempest
Author:James Russell Lowell
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“Again, now, now, again Plashes the rain in heavy gouts, The crinkled lightning Seems ever brightening... And loud and long Again the thunder shouts His battle-song, - One quivering flash, One wildering crash, Followed by silence dead and dull, As if the cloud, let go, Leapt bodily below To whelm the earth in one mad overthrow, And then a total lull.”

IfsLongSeemsEarthSongSilenceBattleLetting GoRainMadCloudsHeavyWeatherLoudDullFlashLightningCrashThunderLullsGout
Book:The poetical works of James Russell Lowell
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