Quote

A tale should be judicious, clear, succinct The language plain, and incidents well link'd Tell not as new what ev'ry body knows and, new or old, still hasten to a close.

William Cowper

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William Cowper
Age: 68 †
Born: 1731
Born: November 26
Died: 1800
Died: April 25
Hymnwriter
Poet
Poet Lawyer
Translator
Writer
Berkhamsted
Hertfordshire
Tell
Link
Stills
Tale
Still
Links
Body
Plain
Wells
Tales
Succinct
Well
Close
Judicious
Clear
Hasten
Language
Incidents

More quotes by William Cowper

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Ye fearful saints fresh courage take, The clouds you so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break, With blessings on your head
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Where thou art gone, adieus and farewells are a sound unknown.
William Cowper
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Domestic happiness, thou only bliss Of paradise that has surviv'd the fall!
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Glory, built on selfish principles, is shame and guilt.
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E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream thy flowing wounds supply, redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
William Cowper
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All truth is precious, if not all divine and what dilates the powers must needs refine.
William Cowper
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But war's a game, which, were their subjects wise, Kings should not play at. Nations would do well To extort their truncheons from the puny hands Of heroes, whose infirm and baby minds Are gratified with mischief, and who spoil, Because men suffer it, their toy the world.
William Cowper
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The path of sorrow, and that path alone, leads to the land where sorrow is unknown.
William Cowper
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Remorse, the fatal egg that pleasure laid.
William Cowper
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Where penury is felt the thought is chain'd, And sweet colloquial pleasures are but few.
William Cowper
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Some to the fascination of a name, Surrender judgment hoodwinked.
William Cowper
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Variety's the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor.
William Cowper
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Manner is all in all, whate'er is writ,The substitute for genius, sense, and wit.
William Cowper
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No, Freedom has a thousand charms to show That slaves, howe'er contented, never know.
William Cowper
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The darkest day, if you live till tomorrow, will have passed away.
William Cowper
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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
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In man or woman, but far most in man, And most of all in man that ministers, And serves the altar, in my soul I loathe All affectation. 'Tis my perfect scorn: Object of my implacable disgust.
William Cowper
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The spleen is seldom felt where Flora reigns The low'ring eye, the petulance, the frown, And sullen sadness, that o'ershade, distort, And mar the face of beauty, when no cause For such immeasurable woe appears These Flora banishes, and gives the fair Sweet smiles, and bloom less transient than her own.
William Cowper
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But poverty, with most who whimper forth Their long complaints, is self-inflicted woe The effect of laziness, or sottish write.
William Cowper
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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