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Poor thieves in halters we behold And great thieves in their chains of gold.

Francis Quarles

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Francis Quarles
Age: 52 †
Born: 1592
Born: May 8
Died: 1644
Died: September 8
Author
Poet
Writer
Havering
Poor
Great
Behold
Thieves
Chains
Gold

More quotes by Francis Quarles

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Of all vices take heed of drunkenness other vices are but fruits of disordered affections--this disorders, nay, banishes reason other vices but impair the soul--this demolishes her two chief faculties, the understanding and the will other vices make their own way--this makes way for all vices he that is a drunkard is qualified for all vice.
Francis Quarles
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If thou wouldst be justified, acknowledge thine injustice. He that confesses his sin, begins his journey toward salvation. He that is sorry for it, mends his pace. He that forsakes it, is at his journey's end.
Francis Quarles
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Money is both the generation and corruption of purchased honor honor is both the child and slave of potent money: the credit which honor hath lost, money hath found. When honor grew mercenary, money grew honorable. The way to be truly noble is to contemn both.
Francis Quarles
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Proportion thy charity to the strength of thine estate, lest God proportion thine estate to the weakness of thy charity. Let the lips of the poor be the trumpet of thy gift, lest in seeking applause, thou lose thy reward. Nothing is more pleasing to God than an open hand and a closed mouth.
Francis Quarles
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Necessity of action takes away the fear of the act, and makes bold resolution the favorite of fortune.
Francis Quarles
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Read not books alone, but men, and amongst them chiefly thyself. If thou find anything questionable there, use the commentary of a severe friend, rather than the gloss of a sweet-lipped flatterer there is more profit in a distasteful truth than in deceitful sweetness.
Francis Quarles
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Physicians, of all men, are most happy whatever good success soever they have, the world proclaimeth and what faults they commit, the earth covereth.
Francis Quarles
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A despairing heart is the true prophet of approaching evil his actions may weave the webs of Fortune, but not break them.
Francis Quarles
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He that hath no cross deserves no crown.
Francis Quarles
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False world, thou ly'st: thou canst not lend The least delight: Thy favours cannot gain a friend, They are so slight.
Francis Quarles
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Immortal life is something to be earned, By slow self-conquest, comradeship with Pain, And patient seeking after higher truths.
Francis Quarles
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The average person's ear weighs what you are, not what you were.
Francis Quarles
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We sack, we ransack to the utmost sands Of native kingdoms, and of foreign lands: We travel sea and soil we pry, and prowl, We progress, and we prog from pole to pole.
Francis Quarles
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I'll ne'er distrust my God for cloth and bread while lilies flourish and the raven 's fed.
Francis Quarles
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Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it what custom hath civilized is become decent, till then ridiculous where the eye is the jury thy apparel is the evidence.
Francis Quarles
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That action is not warrantable which either fears to ask the divine blessing on its performance, or having succeeded, does not come with thanksgiving to God for its success.
Francis Quarles
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Deliberate long before thou consecrate a friend, and when thy impartial justice concludes him worthy of thy bosom, receive him joyfully, and entertain him wisely impart thy secrets boldly, and mingle thy thoughts with his: he is thy very self and use him so if thou firmly think him faithful, thou makest him so.
Francis Quarles
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Meditation is the life of the soul: Action, the soul of meditation and honor the reward of action.
Francis Quarles
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Even as the needle that directs the hour, (Touched with the loadstone) by the secret power Of hidden Nature, points upon the pole Even so the wavering powers of my soul, Touch'd by the virtue of Thy spirit, flee From what is earth, and point alone to Thee.
Francis Quarles
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The world is deceitful her end is doubtful, her conclusion is horrible, her judge terrible, and her judgment is intolerable.
Francis Quarles