Quotes to inspire and reflect

For solitude sometimes is best society, And short retirement urges sweet return.

The serpent subtlest beast of all the field.

Unless an age too late, or cold Climate, or years damp my intended wing.

Accuse not Nature, she hath done her part; Do thou but thine.

My unpremeditated verse.

The sum of earthly bliss.

So absolute she seems And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say, Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best.

Her virtue and the conscience of her worth, That would be woo’d, and not unsought be won.

And feel that I am happier than I know.

The angel ended, and in Adam’s ear So charming left his voice that he awhile Thought him still speaking, still stood fix’d to hear.

Liquid lapse of murmuring streams.

There Leviathan Hugest of living creatures, on the deep Stretch’d like a promontory sleeps or swims, And seems a moving land, and at his gills Draws in, and at his trunk spouts out a sea.

The planets in their stations list’ning stood, While the bright pomp ascended jubilant. Open, ye everlasting gates, they sung, Open, ye heavens, your living doors; let in The great Creator from his work return’d Magnificent, his six days’ work, a world.

Out of one man a race Of men innumerable.

More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchang’d To hoarse or mute, though fall’n on evil days, On evil days though fall’n, and evil tongues; In darkness, and with dangers compass’d round, And solitude.

He onward came; far off his coming shone.

Servant of God, well done, well hast thou fought The better fight, who single hast maintained Against revolted multitudes the cause Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms.

Among the faithless, faithful only he.

Morn, Wak’d by the circling hours, with rosy hand Unbarr’d the gates of light.

What if earth Be but the shadow of heaven, and things therein Each to other like, more than on earth is thought?

Hear all ye Angels, progeny of light, Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers.

So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent.

Freely we serve, Because we freely love, as in our will To love or not; in this we stand or fall.

A wilderness of sweets.

Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.

These are thy glorious works, Parent of good.

My latest found, Heaven’s last, best gift, my ever new delight!

His sleep Was airy light from pure digestion bred.

The starry cope Of heaven.

Like Teneriff or Atlas unremoved.

Abash’d the Devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is, and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely.

Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve.

Not to know me argues yourselves unknown.

Hail wedded love, mysterious law, true source Of human offspring.

Eas’d the putting off These troublesome disguises which we wear.

In naked beauty more adorn’d, More lovely, than Pandora.

Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep.

With thee conversing I forget all time, All seasons, and their change; all please alike. Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet, With charm of earliest birds.

Sweet the coming on Of grateful ev’ning mild, then silent night With this her solemn bird, and this fair moon, And these the gems of heaven, her starry train.

Now came still evening on, and twilight gray Had in her sober livery all things clad.

The wakeful nightingale, She all night long her amorous descant sung; Silence was pleas’d: now glow’d the firmament With living sapphires: Hesperus, that led The starry host, rode brightest, till the moon, Rising in clouded majesty, at length Apparent queen unveil’d her peerless light, And o’er the dark her silver mantle threw.

Imparadis’d in one another’s arms.

Live while ye may, Yet happy pair.

Adam the goodliest man of men since born His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.

Implied Subjection, but requir’d with gentle sway, And by her yielded, by him best receiv’d, Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet reluctant amorous delay.

Two of far nobler shape erect and tall, Godlike erect, with native honor clad In naked majesty seem’d lords of all.

For contemplation he and valor form’d, For softness she and sweet attractive grace; He for God only, she for God in him.

Flowers of all hue, and without thorn the rose.