Francis Quarles Quotes & Sayings

If thou desire not to be poor, desire not to be too rich. He is rich, not that possesses much, but he that covets no more; and he is poor, not that enjoys little, but he that wants too much. The contented mind wants nothing which it hath not; the covetous mind wants, not only what it hath not, but likewise what it hath. — Francis Quarles

Luxury is an enticing pleasure, a bastard mirth, which hath honey in her mouth, gall in her heart, and a sting in her tail. — Francis Quarles

Diogenes found more rest in his tub than Alexander on his throne. — Francis Quarles

Other vices make their own way; this makes way for all vices. He that is a drunkard is qualified for all vice. — Francis Quarles

Things temporal are sweeter in the expectation, things eternal are sweeter in the fruition; the first shames thy hope, the second crowns it; it is a vain journey, whose end affords less pleasure than the way. — Francis Quarles

The heart is a small thing, but desireth great matters. It is not sufficient for a kite's dinner, yet the whole world is not sufficient for it. — Francis Quarles

Demean thyself more warily in thy study than in the street. If thy public actions have a hundred witnesses, thy private have a thousand. The multitude looks but upon thy actions; thy conscience looks into them: the multitude may chance to excuse thee, if not acquit thee; thy conscience will accuse thee, if not condemn thee. — Francis Quarles

How is the anxious soul of man befool'd in his desire, That thinks an hectic fever may be cool'd in flames of fire? — Francis Quarles

I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading, as I had in the writing. — Francis Quarles

God's pleasure is at the end of our prayers. — Francis Quarles

My soul, the seas are rough, and thou a stranger In these false coasts; O keep aloof; there's danger; Cast forth thy plummet; see, a rock appears; Thy ships want sea-room; make it with thy tears. — Francis Quarles

Be as far from desiring the popular love as fearful to deserve the popular hate; ruin dwells in both: the one will hug thee to death; the other will crush thee to destruction: to escape the first, be not ambitious; to avoid the second, be not seditious. — Francis Quarles

Afflictions clarify the soul. — Francis Quarles

If thou seest anything in thyself which may make thee proud, look a little further and thou shalt find enough to humble thee; if thou be wise, view the peacock's feathers with his feet, and weigh thy best parts with thy imperfections. — Francis Quarles

If opinion hath lighted the lamp of thy name, endeavor to encourage it with thy own oil, lest it go out and stink; the chronical disease of Popularity is shame; if thou be once up, beware; from fame to infamy is a beaten road. — Francis Quarles

Gold is Caesar's treasure, man is God's; thy gold hath Caesar's image, and thou hast God's. — Francis Quarles

Be not too great a niggard in the commendations of him that professes thy own quality: if he deserve thy praise, thou hast discovered thy judgment; if not, thy modesty: honor either returns or reflects to the giver. — Francis Quarles

Let the ground of all thy religious actions be obedience; examine not why it is commanded, but observe it because it is commanded. True obedience neither procrastinates nor questions. — Francis Quarles

Be very vigilant over thy child in the April of his understanding, lest the frost of May nip his blossoms. While he is a tender twig, straighten him; whilst he is a new vessel, season him; such as thou makest him, such commonly shall thou find him. Let his first lesson be obedience and his second shall be what thou wilt. — Francis Quarles

Even as the needle that directs the hour,
(Touched with the loadstone) by the secret power
Of hidden Nature, points upon the pole;
Even so the wavering powers of my soul,
Touch'd by the virtue of Thy spirit, flee
From what is earth, and point alone to Thee. — Francis Quarles

If thou neglectest thy love to thy neighbor, in vain thou professest thy love to God; for by thy love to God, the love to thy neighbor is begotten, and by the love to thy neighbor thy love to God is nourished. — Francis Quarles

My soul, what's lighter than a feather? Wind.
Than wind? The fire. And what than fire? The mind.
What's lighter than the mind? A thought. Than thought?
This bubble world. What than this bubble? Nought. — Francis Quarles

In thy apparel avoid singularity, profuseness, and gaudiness. Be not too early in the fashion, nor too late. Decency is half way between affectation and neglect. The body is the shell of the soul, apparel is the husk of that shell; the husk often tells you what the kernel is. — Francis Quarles

Wickedness is its own punishment. — Francis Quarles

The height of all philosophy is to know thyself; and the end of this knowledge is to know God. — Francis Quarles

The next way home's the farthest way about. — Francis Quarles

Humility enforces where neither virtue nor strength can prevail, nor reason. — Francis Quarles

Death's a fable. Did not Heaven inspire your equal Elements with living Fire blown from the Spring of Life? Is not that breath Immortal? Come; ye are as free from death as He that made ye: Can the flames expire which he kindled? — Francis Quarles

False world, thou ly'st: thou canst not lend The least delight: Thy favours cannot gain a friend, They are so slight. — Francis Quarles

Too much is a vanity; enough is a feast. — Francis Quarles

He that begins to live, begins to die. — Francis Quarles

Be not too rash in the breaking of an inconvenient custom; as it was gotten, so leave it by degrees. Danger attends upon too sudden alterations; he that pulls down a bad building by the great may be ruined by the fall, but he that takes it down brick by brick may live to build a better. — Francis Quarles

O who would trust this world, or prize what's in it,
That gives and takes, and chops and changes, ev'ry minute? — Francis Quarles

The way to subject all things to thyself is to subject thyself to reason; thou shalt govern many, if reason govern thee. Wouldst thou be crowned the monarch of a little world? command thyself. — Francis Quarles

If virtue accompany it, it is the heart's paradise; if vice associate it, it is the soul's purgatory. — Francis Quarles

Charity is a naked child, giving honey to a bee without wings. — Francis Quarles

Make philosophy thy journey, theology thy journey's end: philosophy is a pleasant way, but dangerous to him that either tires or retires; in this journey it is safe neither to loiter nor to rest, till thou hast attained thy journey's end; he that sits down a philosopher rises up an atheist. — Francis Quarles

As there is no worldly gain without some loss, so there is no worldly loss without some gain; if thou hast lost thy wealth, thou hast lost some trouble with it; if thou art degraded from thy honor, thou art likewise freed from the stroke of envy; if sickness hath blurred thy beauty, it hath delivered thee from pride. Set the allowance against the loss, and thou shalt find no loss great; he loses little or nothing, that reserves himself. — Francis Quarles

Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. — Francis Quarles

The strong desires of man's insatiate breast may stand possess'd Of all that earth can give; but earth can give no rest. — Francis Quarles

Before thy undertaking of any design, weigh the glory of thy action with the danger of the attempt; if the glory outweigh the danger, it is cowardice to neglect it; if the danger exceed the glory, it is rashness to attempt it; if the balances stand poised, let thy own genius cast them. — Francis Quarles

The light of the understanding, humility kindleth and pride covereth. — Francis Quarles

Heav'n is not always got by running. — Francis Quarles

O lust, thou infernal fire, whose fuel is gluttony; whose flame is pride, whose sparkles are wanton words; whose smoke is infamy; whose ashes are uncleanness; whose end is hell. — Francis Quarles

Wouldst thou multiply thy riches? diminish them wisely; or wouldst thou make thy estate entire? divide it charitably. Seeds that are scattered increase; but, hoarded up, they perish. — Francis Quarles

If thou wouldst preserve a sound body, use fasting and walking; if a healthful soul, fasting and praying. Walking exercises the body; praying exercises the soul; fasting cleanses both. — Francis Quarles

Immortal life is something to be earned, By slow self-conquest, comradeship with Pain, And patient seeking after higher truths. — Francis Quarles

Hath any wronged thee? be bravely revenged; slight it, and the work is begun; forgive it, and it is finished; he is below himself that is not above an injury. — Francis Quarles

Let the foundation of thy affection be virtue, then make the building as rich as glorious as thou canst; if the foundation be beauty or wealth, and the building virtue, the foundation is too weak for the building, and it will fall: happy is he, the palace of whose affection is founded upon virtue, walled with riches glazed with beauty, and roofed with honor. — Francis Quarles

Poor thieves in halters we behold;
And great thieves in their chains of gold. — Francis Quarles

Let grace conduct thee to the paths of peace. — Francis Quarles

If thou desire to see thy child virtuous, let him not see his father's vices: thou canst not rebuke that in them, that they behold practised in thee; till reason be ripe, examples direct more than precepts: such as thy behaviour is before thy children's faces, such commonly is theirs behind their parents' backs. — Francis Quarles

He that hath no cross deserves no crown. — Francis Quarles

The sufficiency of merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient. — Francis Quarles

And he repents in thorns that sleeps in beds of roses. — Francis Quarles

So use prosperity, that adversity may not abuse thee: if in the one, security admits no fears, in the other, despair will afford no hopes; he that in prosperity can foretell a danger can in adversity foresee deliverance. — Francis Quarles

Is not this lily pure? What fuller can procure A white so perfect, spotless clear As in this flower doth appear? — Francis Quarles

God is alpha and omega in the great world: endeavor to make him so in the little world; make him thy evening epilogue and thy morning prologue; practice to make him thy last thought at night when thou sleepest, and thy first thought in the morning when thou awakest; so shall thy fancy be sanctified in the night, and thy understanding rectified in the day; so shall thy rest be peaceful, thy labors prosperous, thy life pious, and thy death glorious. — Francis Quarles

No man is born unto himself alone; Who lives unto himself, he lives to none. — Francis Quarles

We sack, we ransack to the utmost sands
Of native kingdoms, and of foreign lands:
We travel sea and soil; we pry, and prowl,
We progress, and we prog from pole to pole. — Francis Quarles

The world's an Inn; and I her guest. — Francis Quarles

Let the fear of a danger be a spur to prevent it ... — Francis Quarles

Make thy recreation servant to thy business, lest thou become a slave to thy recreation. — Francis Quarles

Lust is a sharp spur to vice, which always putteth the affections into a false gallop. — Francis Quarles

See, here's a shadow found; the human nature Is made th' umbrella to the Deity, To catch the sunbeams of thy just Creator; Beneath this covert thou may'st safely lie. — Francis Quarles

Physicians, of all men, are most happy; whatever good success soever they have, the world proclaimeth; and what faults they commit, the earth covereth. — Francis Quarles

If thou desire to be held wise, be so wise as to hold thy tongue. — Francis Quarles

A lamb appears a lion, and we fear Each bush we see's a bear. — Francis Quarles

Heaven is never deaf but when man's heart is dumb. — Francis Quarles

Nor fire, nor rocks, can stop our furious minds, Nor waves, nor winds. — Francis Quarles

In giving of thy alms, inquire not so much into the person, as his necessity. God looks not so much upon the merits of him that requires, as into the manner of him that relieves; if the man deserve not, thou hast given it to humanity. — Francis Quarles

Sweet Phosphor, bring the dayWhose conquering rayMay chase these fogs;Sweet Phosphor, bring the day!Sweet Phosphor, bring the day!Light will repayThe wrongs of night;Sweet Phosphor, bring the day! — Francis Quarles

God hath given to mankind a common library, His creatures; to every man a proper book, himself being an abridgment of all others. If thou read with understanding, it will make thee a great master of philosophy, and a true servant of the divine Author: if thou but barely read, it will make thee thine own wise man and the Author's fool. — Francis Quarles

Prize not thyself by what thou hast, but by what thou art; he that values a jewel by her golden frame, or a book by her silver clasps, or a man by his vast estate, errs; if thou art not worth more than the world can make thee, thy Redeemer had a bad pennyworth, or thou an uncurious Redeemer. — Francis Quarles

The goods we spend we keep; and what we save
We lose; and only what we lose we have. — Francis Quarles

When ambitious men find an open passage, they are rather busy than dangerous; and if well watched in their proceedings, they will catch them selves in their own snare, and prepare a way for their own destruction. — Francis Quarles

Our God and Souldiers we alike adore,Evn at the Brink of danger; not before:After deliverance, both alike required;Our Gods forgotten, and our Souldiers slighted. — Francis Quarles

It is no happiness to live long, nor unhappiness to die soon; happy is he that hath lived long enough to die well. — Francis Quarles

Let the words of a virgin, though in a good cause, and to as good purpose, be neither violent, many, nor first, nor last; it is less shame for a virgin to be lost in a blushing silence than to be found in a bold eloquence. — Francis Quarles

Be not too slow in the breaking of a sinful custom; a quick, courageous resolution is better than a gradual deliberation; in such a combat he is the bravest soldier that lays about him without fear or wit. Wit pleads, fear disheartens; he that would kill Hydra had better strike off one neck than five heads: fell the tree, and the branches are soon cut off. — Francis Quarles

If God send thee a cross, take it up willingly and follow him. Use it wisely, lest it be unprofitable. Bear it patiently, lest it be intolerable. If it be light, slight it not. If it be heavy, murmur not. After the cross is the crown. — Francis Quarles

Be very circumspect in the choice of thy company. In the society of thine equals thou shalt enjoy more pleasure; in the society of thy superiors thou shalt find more profit. To be the best in the company is the way to grow worse; the best means to grow better is to be the worst there. — Francis Quarles

Proportion thy charity to the strength of thine estate, lest God proportion thine estate to the weakness of thy charity. Let the lips of the poor be the trumpet of thy gift, lest in seeking applause, thou lose thy reward. Nothing is more pleasing to God than an open hand and a closed mouth. — Francis Quarles

Anger may repast with thee for an hour, but not repose for a night; the continuance of anger is hatred, the continuance of hatred turns malice. — Francis Quarles

Wisdom not only gets, but once got, retains. — Francis Quarles

He that discovers himself, till he hath made himself master of his desires, lays himself open to his own ruin, and makes himself prisoner to his own tongue. — Francis Quarles

The way to bliss lies not on beds of down, And he that had no cross deserves no crown. — Francis Quarles

Wouldst thou know the lawfulness of the action which thou desirest to undertake, let thy devotion recommend it to Divine blessing: if it be lawful, thou shalt perceive thy heart encouraged by thy prayer; if unlawful, thou shalt find thy prayer discouraged by thy heart. That action is not warrantable which either blushes to beg a blessing, or, having succeeded, dares not present a thanksgiving. — Francis Quarles

It lies in the power of man, either permissively to hasten, or actively to shorten, but not to lengthen or extend the limits of his natural life. He only (if any) hath the art to lengthen out his taper that puts it to the best advantage. — Francis Quarles

There be three sorts of government
monarchical, aristocratical, democratical; and they are apt to fall three several ways into ruin
the first, by tyranny; the second, by ambition; the last, by tumults. A commonwealth grounded upon any one of these is not of long continuance; but, wisely mingled, each guards the other and makes that government exact. — Francis Quarles

Mark, how the ready hands of Death prepare: His bow is bent, and he hath notch'd his dart; He aims, he levels at thy slumb'ring heart: The wound is posting, O be wise, beware. — Francis Quarles

Shine Son of glory, and my sinnes are goneLike twinkling Starres before the rising Sunne. — Francis Quarles

Whosoever obeyeth the devil, casteth himself down: for the devil may suggest, compel he cannot. — Francis Quarles

If thou wouldst be justified, acknowledge thine injustice. He that confesses his sin, begins his journey toward salvation. He that is sorry for it, mends his pace. He that forsakes it, is at his journey's end. — Francis Quarles

It is a most just punishment, that man should lose that freedom, which man could not use, yet had power to keep, if he would; and that he who had knowledge to do what was right, and did not should be deprived of the knowledge of what was right; and that he who would not do righteously, when he had the power, should lose the power to do it, when he had the will. — Francis Quarles

To fear death is the way to live long; to lie afraid of death is to be long a dying. — Francis Quarles

Afflictions clarify the soul;
And like hard masters, give more hard directions,
Tutoring the non-age of uncurbed affections. — Francis Quarles

Deliberate long before thou consecrate a friend, and when thy impartial justice concludes him worthy of thy bosom, receive him joyfully, and entertain him wisely; impart thy secrets boldly, and mingle thy thoughts with his: he is thy very self; and use him so; if thou firmly think him faithful, thou makest him so. — Francis Quarles

The world is deceitful; her end is doubtful, her conclusion is horrible, her judge terrible, and her judgment is intolerable. — Francis Quarles

He that hath promised pardon on our repentance hat not promised life till we repent. — Francis Quarles