Quote

For trash and toys, And grief-engend'ring joys, What torment seems too sharp for flesh and blood What bitter pills, Compos'd of real ills, Men swallow down to purchase one false good!

Francis Quarles

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Francis Quarles
Age: 52 †
Born: 1592
Born: May 8
Died: 1644
Died: September 8
Author
Poet
Writer
Havering
Real
Rings
Swallow
Good
Bitter
Pills
Men
False
Torment
Flesh
Joys
Grief
Trash
Joy
Toys
Blood
Sharp
Ills
Seems
Ring
Purchase

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I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading, as I had in the writing.
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My soul, sit thou a patient looker-on Judge not the play before the play is done: Her plot hath many changes every day Speaks a new scene the last act crowns the play
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Wrinkle not thy face with too much laughter, lest thou become ridiculous neither wanton thy heart with too much mirth, lest thou become vain: the suburbs of folly is vain mirth, and profuseness of laughter is the city of fools.
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Mercy turns her back to the unmerciful.
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Hath any wronged thee? be bravely revenged slight it, and the work is begun forgive it, and it is finished he is below himself that is not above an injury.
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Every man's vanity ought to be his greatest shame and every man's folly ought to be his greatest secret.
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Scandal breeds hatred hatred begets division division makes faction, and faction brings ruin.
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Mark, how the ready hands of Death prepare: His bow is bent, and he hath notch'd his dart He aims, he levels at thy slumb'ring heart: The wound is posting, O be wise, beware.
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If thy daughter marry well, thou hast found a son if not, thou hast lost a daughter.
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Let the fear of a danger be a spur to prevent it he that fears not gives advantage to the danger it is less folly not to endeavor the prevention of the evil thou fearest than to fear the evil which thy endeavor cannot prevent.
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Heaven finds an ear when sinners find a tongue.
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God hath given to mankind a common library, His creatures to every man a proper book, himself being an abridgment of all others. If thou read with understanding, it will make thee a great master of philosophy, and a true servant of the divine Author: if thou but barely read, it will make thee thine own wise man and the Author's fool.
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He that discovers himself, till he hath made himself master of his desires, lays himself open to his own ruin, and makes himself prisoner to his own tongue.
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Necessity of action takes away the fear of the act, and makes bold resolution the favorite of fortune.
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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.
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Gold is Caesar's treasure, man is God's thy gold hath Caesar's image, and thou hast God's.
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Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation and honor the reward of action.
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Afflictions clarify the soul.
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Think not thy love to God merits God's love to thee His acceptance of thy duty crowns His own gifts in thee man's love to God is nothing but a faint reflection of God's love to man.
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Is not this lily pure? What fuller can procure A white so perfect, spotless clear As in this flower doth appear?
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