Thomas Gray
Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.Collection: Poetry
Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms.Collection: Smile
Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise.
Commerce changes the fate and genius of nations.
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
Alas, regardless of their doom, the little victims play! No sense have they of ills to come, nor care beyond today.
Too poor for a bribe, and too proud to importune, he had not the method of making a fortune.
If the best man's faults were written on his forehead, he would draw his hat over his eyes.
Visions of glory, spare my aching sight.
I shall be but a shrimp of an author.
And weep the more, because I weep in vain.
'Tis folly to be wise.
He gave to misery (all he had) a tear.
They hear a voice in every wind, And snatch a fearful joy.Collection: Wind
From toil he wins his spirits light, From busy day the peaceful night; Rich, from the very want of wealth, In heaven's best treasures, peace and health.Collection: Peace
Commerce changes entirely the fate and genius of nations, by communicating arts and opinions, circulating money, and introducing the materials of luxury; she first opens and polishes the mind, then corrupts and enervates both that and the body.Collection: Fate
Visions of glory, spare my aching sight! Ye unborn ages, crowd not on my soul!Collection: Sight
Men will believe anything at all provided they are under no obligation to believe it.Collection: Believe
Hell is full of good intentions.Collection: Good Intentions
Thought would destroy their paradise.Collection: Thinking
Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.Collection: Ocean
What female heart can gold despise? What cat 's averse to fish?Collection: Heart
Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile The short and simple annals of the poor.Collection: Simple
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea, The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me.Collection: Wind
How low, how little are the proud, How indigent the great!Collection: Proud
Alas, regardless of their doom, the little victims play! No sense have they of ills to come nor care beyond today.Collection: Children
One principal characteristic of vice in the present age is the contempt of fame.Collection: Age
In the evening, I walked alone down to the Lake by the side of Crow Park after sunset and saw the solemn coloring of night draw on, the last gleam of sunshine fading away on the hilltops, the seep serene of the asters, and the long shadows of the mountains thrown across them, till they nearly touched the hithermost shore. At distance hear the murmur of many waterfalls not audible in the day-time. Wished for the moon, but she was dark to me and silent, hid in her vacant interlunar cave.Collection: Distance
A fav'rite has no friend!Collection: Friendship
As to posterity, I may ask what has it ever done to oblige me?Collection: Done
Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.Collection: Death
And truth severe, by fairy fiction drest.Collection: Truth
For who, to dumb forgetfulness a prey, This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd, Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day, Nor cast one longing ling'ring look behind?Collection: Anxiety
To brisk notes in cadence beating, glance their many-twinkling feet.Collection: Feet
To Contemplation's sober eye. / Such is the race of Man.Collection: Eye
And moody madness laughing wild Amid severest woe.Collection: Laughter
Implores the passing tribute of a sigh.Collection: Passing
Low on his funeral couch he lies!Collection: Lying
Hands that the rod of empire might have sway'd, Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre.Collection: Life
Ah, tell them they are men!Collection: Men
Bright-eyed Fancy, hov'ring o'er, Scatters from her pictured urn Thoughts that breathe and words that burn.Collection: Fancy
And hie him home, at evening's close, To sweet repast and calm repose.Collection: Sweet
Her track, where'er the goddess roves, Glory pursue, and gen'rous shame, Th' unconquerable mind, and freedom's holy flame.Collection: Flames
The applause of list'ning senates to command, The threats of pain and ruin to despise, To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land, And read their history in a nation's eyes.Collection: Pain
Now as the Paradisiacal pleasures of the Mahometans consist in playing upon the flute and lying with Houris, be mine to read eternal new romances of Marivaux and Crebillon.Collection: Lying
From Helicon's harmonious springs A thousand rills their mazy progress take.Collection: Spring