John Milton
For neither man nor angel can discern hypocrisy, the only evil that walks invisible, except to God alone.Collection: Hypocrite
Prudence is the virtue by which we discern what is proper to do under various circumstances in time and place.Collection: Virtue
Swinish gluttony never looks to heaven amidst its gorgeous feast; but with besotted, base ingratitude, cravens and blasphemes his feeder.Collection: Heaven
In those vernal seasons of the year when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against nature not to go out and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and earth.Collection: Nature
Our two first parents, yet the only two Of mankind, in the happy garden placed, Reaping immortal fruits of joy and love, Uninterrupted joy, unrivalled love In blissful solitude.Collection: Garden
My heart contains of good, wise, just, the perfect shape.Collection: Wise
Love Virtue, she alone is free, She can teach ye how to climb Higher than the sphery chime; Or, if Virtue feeble were, Heav'n itself would stoop to her.Collection: Virtue
For truth is strong next to the Almighty. She needs no policies or stratagems or licensings to make her victorious. These are the shifts and the defences that error uses against her power.Collection: Strong
In God's intention, a meet and happy conversation is the chiefest and noblest end of marriage.Collection: Intention
Midnight brought on the dusky hour Friendliest to sleep and silence.Collection: Sleep
Come to the sunset tree! The day is past and gone; The woodman's axe lies free, And the reaper's work is done.Collection: Death
A beardless cynic is the shame of nature.Collection: Shame
And if by prayer Incessant I could hope to change the will Of Him who all things can, I would not cease To weary Him with my assiduous cries.Collection: Prayer
Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts And eloquence.Collection: Mother
The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide: They hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.Collection: Hands
Law can discover sin, but not remove, Save by those shadowy expiations weak.Collection: Law
Come knit hands, and beat the ground in a light fantastic roundCollection: Light
O loss of sight, of thee I most complain! Blind among enemies, O worse than chains, dungeon or beggary, or decrepit age! Light, the prime work of God, to me is extinct, and all her various objects of delight annulled, which might in part my grief have eased. Inferior to the vilest now become of man or worm; the vilest here excel me, they creep, yet see; I, dark in light, exposed to daily fraud, contempt, abuse and wrong, within doors, or without, still as a fool, in power of others, never in my own; scarce half I seem to live, dead more than half.Collection: Grief
Hope allows us to bid farewell to fear.Collection: Farewell
Time is the subtle thief of youth.Collection: Thieves
Virtue hath no tongue to check vice's pride.Collection: Pride
The oracles are dumb, No voice or hideous hum Runs thro' the arched roof in words deceiving.Collection: Running
Who would not, finding way, break loose from hell, . . . . And boldly venture to whatever place Farthest from pain?Collection: Pain
He who freely magnifies what hath been nobly done, and fears not to declares as freely what might be done better, gives ye the best covenant of his fidelity.Collection: Giving
This manner of writing wherein knowing myself inferior to myself? I have the use, as I may account it, but of my left hand.Collection: Writing
Virtue, which breaks through opposition and all temptation can remove, most shines, and most is acceptable above.Collection: Break Through
The earth, though in comparison of heaven so small, nor glistering, may of solid good contain more plenty than the sun, that barren shines.Collection: Shining
Ease would recant Vows made in pain, as violent and void.Collection: Pain
From that high mount of God whence light and shade Spring both, the face of brightest heaven had changed To grateful twilight.Collection: Spring
Praise from an enemy smells of craft.Collection: Smell
Virtue that wavers is not virtue, but vice revolted from itself, and after a while returning. The actions of just and pious men do not darken in their middle course.Collection: Men
On a sudden open fly With impetuous recoil and jarring sound Th' infernal doors, and on their hinges grate Harsh thunder.Collection: Doors
From restless thoughts, that, like a deadly swarm Of hornets arm'd, no sooner found alone, But rush upon me thronging.Collection: Thinking
Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.Collection: Freedom
O fleeting joys Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes!Collection: Joy
She what was honour knew, And with obsequious majesty approv'd My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower I led her blushing like the morn; all heaven And happy constellations on that hour Shed their selectest influence; the earth Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill; Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs Whisper'd it to the woods, and from their wings Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy shrub.Collection: Happiness
What honour that, But tedious waste of time, to sit and hear So many hollow compliments and lies.Collection: Lying
And may at last my weary age Find out the peaceful hermitage, The hairy gown and mossy cell, Where I may sit and rightly spell Of every star that heaven doth shew, And every herb that sips the dew, Till old experience to attain To something like prophetic strain.Collection: Stars
License they mean when they cry Liberty; For who loves that, must first be wise and good.Collection: Love
Beholding the bright countenance of truth in the quiet and still air of delightful studies.Collection: Truth
Or bid the soul of Orpheus sing Such notes as, warbled to the string, Drew iron tears down Pluto's cheek.Collection: Iron
Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb, counseled ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth, not peace.Collection: Peace
Now came still evening on; and twilight gray Had in her sober livery all things clad: Silence accompanied; for beast and bird, They to they grassy couch, these to their nests, Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale.Collection: Twilight
Those graceful acts, those thousand decencies, that daily flow from all her words and actions, mixed with love and sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned union of mind, or in us both one soul.Collection: Love
Death to life is crown or shame.Collection: Crowns
Now the bright morning-star, day's harbinger, comes dancing from the east.Collection: Morning