Ancient Quotations | Page 6

Popular poets are the parish priests of the Muse, retailing her ancient divinations to a long since converted public.

In ancient days the Pythagoreans were used to change names with each other,--fancying that each would share the virtues they admired in the other.

They were too God-intoxicated to be "astronomically intimidated." They brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contest.

Let ancient times delight other folk, I rejoice that I was not born till now.

I know one thing, that I know nothing.

Sanity -- that is the great virtue of the ancient literature; the want of that is the great defect of the modern, in spite of its variety and power.

I like that ancient Saxon phrase, which calls, The burial-ground God's-Acre.

To love their country has been considered as virtue in men, whose love could not be otherwise than blind, because their preference was made without, a comparison; but it has never been my fortune to find, either in ancient or modern writers, any honourable mention of those, who have, with equal blindness, hated their country.

Ancient travelers guessed; modern travelers measure.

Things thought too long can be no longer thought, For beauty dies of beauty, worth of worth, And ancient lineaments are blotted out.

All the ancient histories, as one of our wits say, are just fables that have been agreed upon

Late have I loved you, O beauty ever ancient, ever new. Late have I loved you. You have called to me, and have called out, and have shattered my deafness. You have blazed forth with light and have put my blindness to flight! You have sent forth fragrance, and I have drawn in my breath, and I pant after you. I have tasted you, and I hunger and thirst after you. You have touched me, and I have burned for your peace.

I have learnt to love you late, Beauty at once so ancient and so new!

Too late came I to love you, O Beauty both so ancient and so new! Too late came I to love you - and behold you were with me all the time . . .

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient and ever new! Late have I loved you! And, behold, you were within me, and I out of myself, and there I searched for you.

Oh, beauty, ever ancient and ever new.