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James Russell Lowell Quotes

Poet

James Russell Lowell was an American poet, born on February 22, 1819, and died on August 12, 1891. His poetry is known for its profound social insights and admiration for nature.

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All Men Heart Literature May World Ifs Giving Soul Life Long Earth Knows Past Thinking Truth Genius Hands Eye Firsts Heaven

Famous James Russell Lowell Quotes

“So we're all right, an' I, for one, Don't think our cause'll lose in vally By rammin' Scriptur' in our gun, An' gittin' Natur' for an ally.”

Thinking Causes Loses Gun Scripture Allies

Author:James Russell Lowell

“They are slaves who fear to speak For the fallen and the weak; They are slaves who will not choose Hatred, scoffing, and abuse, Rather than in silence shrink From the truth they needs must think; They are slaves who dare not be In the right with two or three.”

Thinking Needs Two Three Speak Silence Weak Hatred Abuse Slave Dare Fallen Shrinks Scoffing

Book:Poems

Source: Poems

“Fools, when their roof-tree falls, think it doomsday.”

Thinking Fall Tree Fool Roof Doomsday

Book:The poetical works of James Russell Lowell

Source: The poetical works of James Russell Lowell

“It is curious how tyrannical the habit of reading is, and what shifts we make to escape thinking. There is no bore we dread being left alone with so much as our own minds.”

Thinking Mind Reading Left Habit Curious Dread Bores Left Alone

Book:Fireside Travels

Source: Fireside Travels

“The sentimentalist does not think of what he does so much as of what the world will think of what he does.”

Thinking World Doe

Book:Among my Books, etc

Source: Among my Books, etc

“The true historical genius, to our thinking, is that which can see the nobler meaning of events that are near him, as the true poet is he who detects the divine in the casual; and we somewhat suspect the depth of his insight into the past who cannot recognize the godlike of to-day under that disguise in which it always visits us.”

Thinking Past Events Divine Poet Genius Historical Depth Insight Suspects Disguise Casual Godlike

Book:My Study Windows

Source: My Study Windows

“We cannot but think there is something like a fallacy in Mr. Buckle's theory that the advance of mankind is necessarily in the direction of science, and not in that of morals.”

Thinking Science Moral Mankind Theory Fallacy Buckles

Book:Among My Books: First [-second] series

Source: Among My Books: First [-second] series

“The first lesson of life is to burn our own smoke; that is, not to inflict on outsiders our personal sorrows and petty morbidness, not to keep thinking of ourselves as exceptional cases.”

Thinking Firsts Life Is Cases Sorrow Lessons Smoke Life Lesson Outsiders Petty Exceptional

Author:James Russell Lowell

“Fate loves the fearless.”

Thinking Fate Fearless Stay Positive Fate Love

Book:Delphi Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell (Illustrated)

“He who is firmly seated in authority soon learns to think security, and not progress, the highest lesson in statecraft.”

Thinking Literature Progress Security Lessons Authority Highest

Book:Literary essays; Among my books, My study windows, Fireside travels

Source: Literary essays; Among my books, My study windows, Fireside travels

“The surest plan to make a man is, think him so.”

Thinking Men Destiny Plans

Book:Delphi Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell (Illustrated)

“And I honor the man who is willing to sink half his present repute for the freedom to think, and, when he has thought, be his cause strong or weak, Will risk t' other half for the freedom to speak.”

Thinking Men Wisdom Law Speak Strong Causes Half Liberty Risk Willing He Man Honor Weak Freedom Of Speech Other Half Weak Will

Book:The poetical works of James Russell Lowell

Source: The poetical works of James Russell Lowell

“They talk about their Pilgrim blood, their birthright high and holy! a mountain-stream that ends in mud thinks is melancholy.”

Thinking Ends Blood Holy Mountain Streams Melancholy Ancestor Mud Ancestry Pilgrim Birthright Mountain Streams

Book:The Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell

Source: The Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell

“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.”

Thinking World Past Fall Hours Society Mankind Tears Promise Truth Is Eternal Mirrors Instinct Endless Dread Falling Apart Rotten Ripe Do Not Fear Promise Of The Future

Book:Poems

Source: Poems

About the Author

Born: February 22, 1819
Died: August 12, 1891
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 455

Books & Sources

The poetical works of James Russell LowellRelated source material

Delphi Complete Poetical Works of James Russell Lowell (Illustrated)Related source material

Conversations on Some of the Old PoetsRelated source material

My Study WindowsRelated source material

PoemsRelated source material

Among my Books, etcRelated source material

Literary and political addressesRelated source material

Fireside TravelsRelated source material

Among My BooksRelated source material

Essays, English and AmericanRelated source material

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