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John Greenleaf Whittier Quotes

Poet

John Greenleaf Whittier was an American poet known for his sympathy towards the working class and his advocacy for social justice. His poetry extensively covered social, political, and moral issues, profoundly influencing American literature in the 19th century.

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All Men Flower Light Stills Wells Heart Soul Giving Fall Gray Humans May Sweet Behinds Evil Eye Father Hands Ifs Life

Famous John Greenleaf Whittier Quotes

“Love hath never known a law beyond its own sweet will.”

Law Known Sweet

Author:John Greenleaf Whittier

“And light is mingled with the gloom, And joy with grief; Divinest compensations come, Through thorns of judgment mercies bloom In sweet relief.”

Light Joy Grief Sweet Judgment Mercy Relief Compensation Thorns Gloom

Book:Poems of John Greenleaf Whittier

Source: Poems of John Greenleaf Whittier

“What airs outblown from ferny dells And clover-bloom and sweet brier smells.”

Air Sweet Smell Clovers Dell

Book:The Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier

Source: The Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier

“Our toil is sweet with thankfulness, Our burden is our boon; The curse of earth's gray morning is The blessing of its noon.”

Earth Difficult Morning Sweet Blessing Burden Curse Gray Toil Thankfulness Noon Boon Difficult Days

Book:Personal Poems, Complete Volume IV., the Works of Whittier: Personal Poems

Source: Personal Poems, Complete Volume IV., the Works of Whittier: Personal Poems

“It is well for us if we have learned to listen to the sweet persuasion of the Beatitudes, but there are crises in all lives which require also the emphatic "Thou shalt not" of the decalogue which the founders wrote on the gateposts of their commonwealth.”

Ifs Wells Sweet Crisis Founders Persuasion Commonwealth

Book:Old Portraits, Modern Sketches, Personal Sketches and Tributes Complete, Volume VI., the Works of Whittier

Source: Old Portraits, Modern Sketches, Personal Sketches and Tributes Complete, Volume VI., the Works of Whittier

“And sweet and far as from a star, replied a voice which shall not cease, till drowning all the noise of war, it sings the blessed song of peace”

War Song Stars Voice Sweet Blessed Cease Noise Drowning

Book:The Works of Whittier, Volume III (of VII) Anti-Slavery Poems and Songs of Labor and Reform

Source: The Works of Whittier, Volume III (of VII) Anti-Slavery Poems and Songs of Labor and Reform

“Through the open door A drowsy smell of flowers -grey heliotrope And white sweet clover, and shy mignonette Comes fairly in, and silent chorus leads To the pervading symphony of Peace.”

Peace White Silence Doors Sweet Flower Silent Smell Shy Grey Symphony Chorus Clovers Drowsy

Author:John Greenleaf Whittier

About the Author

Born: December 17, 1807
Died: September 7, 1892
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 179

Books & Sources

The complete poetical works of John Greenleaf WhittierRelated source material

Poems of John Greenleaf WhittierRelated source material

Poems of Nature, Poems Subjective and Reminiscent and Religious Poems, Complete Volume II., the Works of WhittierRelated source material

Personal Poems, Complete Volume IV., the Works of Whittier: Personal PoemsRelated source material

Literary recreations and miscellaniesRelated source material

Narrative and Legendary Poems, Complete Volume I., the Works of WhittierRelated source material

The Works of Whittier, Volume III (of VII) Anti-Slavery Poems and Songs of Labor and ReformRelated source material

Home Ballads and PoemsRelated source material

The Stranger in LowellRelated source material

Among the Hills, and Other PoemsRelated source material

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