Christopher Smart Quotes & Sayings

For the flowers are great blessings. For the Lord made a Nosegay in the meadow with his disciples and preached upon the lily. For the flowers have great virtues for all senses. For the flower glorifies God and the root parries the adversary. For the flowers have their angels even the words of God's creation. For there is a language of flowers. For there is a sound reasoning upon all flowers. For flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ. — Christopher Smart

For I bless God in the libraries of the learned and for all the booksellers in the world. — Christopher Smart

For he is an instrument for the children to learn benevolence upon. — Christopher Smart

For I prophecy that men will learn the use of their knees.

For every thing that can be done in that posture (upon the knees) is better so done than otherwise.

For I prophecy that they will understand the blessing and virtue of the rain.

For rain is exceedingly good for the human body. — Christopher Smart

There is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest, for there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion. — Christopher Smart

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with his elegant quickness ...
For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.
For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against adversary.
For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin & glaring eyes. — Christopher Smart

Thomas Gray walks as if he had fouled his small- clothes and looks as if he smelt it. — Christopher Smart

For in my nature I quested for beauty, but God, God hath sent me to sea for pearls. — Christopher Smart

And now the matchless deed's achieved, Determined, Dared, and Done. — Christopher Smart

For EARTH which is an intelligence hath a voice and a propensity to speak in all her parts. — Christopher Smart

Too hard for any frog's digestion,To have his froghood call'd in question! — Christopher Smart

For every house is incomplete without him, and a blessing is lacking in the spirit. — Christopher Smart

Sweet the young muse with love intense,
Which smiles o'er sleeping innocence. — Christopher Smart

Thus when a barber and a collier fight, The barber beats the luckless collier-white; The dusty collier heaves his ponderous sack, And big with vengeance beats the barber-black. In comes the brick-dust man, with grime o'erspread, And beats the collier and the barber-red: Black, red, and white in various clouds are tost, And in the dust they raise the combatants are lost. — Christopher Smart

Awake before the sun is risen, I call for my pen and papers and desk. — Christopher Smart

O guide my judgment and my taste,
Sweet Spirit, author of the book
Of wonders, told in language chaste
And plainness, not to be mistook.

O let me muse, and yet at sight
The page admire, the page believe;
"Let there be light, and there was light,
Let there be Paradise and Eve!"

Who his soul's rapture can refrain?
At Joseph's ever pleasing tale
Of marvels, the prodigious train,
To Sinai's hill from Goshen's vale.

The psalmist and proverbial seer,
And all the prophets sons of song,
Make all things precious, all things dear,
And bear the brilliant word along.

O take the book from off the shelf,
And con it meekly on thy knees;
Best panegyric on itself,
And self-avouch'd to teach and please.

Respect, adore it heart and mind.
How greatly sweet, how sweetly grand,
Who reads the most, is most refind'd,
And polish'd by the Master's hand. — Christopher Smart