Quote

A fool must now and then be right, by chance

William Cowper

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

William Cowper
Age: 68 †
Born: 1731
Born: November 26
Died: 1800
Died: April 25
Hymnwriter
Poet
Poet Lawyer
Translator
Writer
Berkhamsted
Hertfordshire
Must
Folly
Humorous
Intelligence
Intellectual
Fool
Chance
Truth
Right
Statistics

More quotes by William Cowper

Image
England with all thy faults, I love thee still-- My country! and, while yet a nook is left Where English minds and manners may be found, Shall be constrained to love thee.
William Cowper
Image
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hourThe bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flow’r. Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.
William Cowper
Image
Reasoning at every step he treads, Man yet mistakes his way, Whilst meaner things, whom instinct leads, Are rarely known to stray.
William Cowper
Image
Some men make gain a fountain, whence proceeds A stream of liberal and heroic deeds The swell of pity, not to be confined Within the scanty limits of the mind.
William Cowper
Image
Ceremony leads her bigots forth, prepared to fight for shadows of no worth. While truths, on which eternal things depend, can hardly find a single friend.
William Cowper
Image
The dogs did bark, the children screamed, Up flew the windows all And every soul bawled out, Well done! As loud as he could bawl.
William Cowper
Image
Time, as he passes us, has a dove's wing, Unsoil'd, and swift, and of a silken sound.
William Cowper
Image
A life all turbulence and noise may seem To him that leads it wise and to be praised, But wisdom is a pearl with most success Sought in still waters.
William Cowper
Image
They fix attention, heedless of your pain, With oaths like rivets forced into the brain And e'en when sober truth prevails throughout, They swear it, till affirmance breeds a doubt.
William Cowper
Image
Th' embroid'ry of poetic dreams.
William Cowper
Image
No one was ever scolded out of their sins.
William Cowper
Image
Our love is principle, and has its root In reason, is judicious, manly, free.
William Cowper
Image
That good diffused may more abundant grow.
William Cowper
Image
There is a mixture of evil in everything we do indulgence encourages us to encroach, while we Crabbe exercise the rights of children, we become childish.
William Cowper
Image
Some write a narrative of wars and feats, Of heroes little known, and call the rant A history.
William Cowper
Image
Pleasure is labour too, and tires as much.
William Cowper
Image
The few that pray at all pray oft amiss.
William Cowper
Image
Pernicious weed! whose scent the fair annoys, Unfriendly to society's chief joys: Thy worst effect is banishing for hours The sex whose presence civilizes ours.
William Cowper
Image
Where men of judgment creep and feel their way, The positive pronounce without dismay.
William Cowper
Image
A Christian's wit is offensive light, A beam that aids, but never grieves the sight Vig'rous in age as in the flush of youth, 'Tis always active on the side of truth.
William Cowper