George Crabbe Quotes & Sayings

Is there a place, save one the poet sees, A land of love, of liberty, and ease; Where labour wearies not, nor cares suppress Th' eternal flow of rustic happiness; Where no proud mansion frowns in awful state, Or keeps the sunshine from the cottage-gate; Where young and old, intent on pleasure, throng, And half man's life is holiday and song? Vain search for scenes like these! no view appears, By sighs unruffled or unstain'd by tears; Since vice the world subdued and waters drown'd, Auburn and Eden can no more be found. — George Crabbe

Blest be the gracious Power, who taught mankind
To stamp a lasting image of the mind!
Beasts may convey, and tuneful birds may sing,
Their mutual feelings, in the opening spring;
But Man alone has skill and power to send
The heart's warm dictates to the distant friend;
'Tis his alone to please, instruct, advise
Ages remote, and nations yet to rise. — George Crabbe

And took for truth the test of ridicule. — George Crabbe

To every class we have a school assign'd,
Rules for all ranks, and food for every mind:
Yet one there is, that small regard to rule
Or study pays, and still is deem'd a school;
That, where a deaf, poor, patient widow sits,
And awes some thirty infants as she knits;
Infants of humble, busy wives, who pay
Some trifling price for freedom through the day.
At this good matron's hut the children meet,
Who thus becomes the mother of the street. — George Crabbe

Old Peter Grimes made fishing his employ; His wife he cabined with him and his boy, And seemed that life laborious to enjoy. — George Crabbe

The gentle fair on nervous tea relies,
Whilst gay good-nature sparkles in her eyes;
An inoffensive scandal fluttering round,
Too rough to tickle, and too light to wound. — George Crabbe

Life is not measured by the time we live. — George Crabbe

Our farmers round, well pleased with constant gain, Like other farmers, flourish and complain. — George Crabbe

Books cannot always please, however good; Minds are not ever craving for their food. — George Crabbe

Oh how the passions, insolent and strong, Bear our weak minds their rapid course along; Make us the madness of their will obey; Then die and leave us to our griefs as prey! — George Crabbe

This, books can do-nor this alone; they give New views to life, and teach us how to live; They soothe the grieved, the stubborn they chastise; Fools they admonish, and confirm the wise. Their aid they yield to all: they never shun The man of sorrow, nor the wretch undone; Unlike the hard, the selfish, and the proud, They fly not sullen from the suppliant crowd; Nor tell to various people various things, But show to subjects, what they show to kings. — George Crabbe

Temp'rate in every place
abroad, at home, Thence will applause, and hence will profit come; And health from either
he in time prepares For sickness, age, and their attendant cares. — George Crabbe

Whatever amuses, serves to kill time, to lull the faculties, and to banish reflection. Whatever entertains, usually awakens the understanding or gratifies the fancy. Whatever diverts, is lively in its nature, and sometimes tumultuous in its effects. — George Crabbe

But monument themselves memorials need. — George Crabbe

Shall he who soars, inspired by loftier views,
Life's little cares and little pains refuse?
Shall he not rather feel a double share
Of mortal woe, when doubly arm'd to bear? — George Crabbe

Good is done by degrees. — George Crabbe

Dreams are like portraits; and we find they please because they are confessed resemblances. — George Crabbe

Virtues neglected then, adored become, And graces slighted, blossom on the tomb. — George Crabbe

Be there a will, and wisdom finds a way. — George Crabbe

But jest apart
what virtue canst thou trace
In that broad trim that hides thy sober face?
Does that long-skirted drab, that over-nice
And formal clothing, prove a scorn of vice?
Then for thine accent
what in sound can be
So void of grace as dull monotony? — George Crabbe

Hence, in these times, untouch'd the pages lie, And slumber out their immortality. — George Crabbe

Ability comprehends the power of doing in general, without specifying the quality or degree. — George Crabbe

Secrets with girls, like guns with boys, are never valued till they make a noise. — George Crabbe

When winter stern, his gloomy front uprears,
A sable void the barren earth appears;
The meads no more their former verdure boast,
Fast-bound their streams, and all their beauty lost;
The herds, the flocks, in icy garments mourn, and wildly murmur for the Spring's return;
From snow-topp'd hills the whirlwinds keenly blow,
Howl through the woods, and pierce the vales below,
Through the sharp air a flaky torrent flies,
Mocks the slow sight, and hides the gloomy skies. — George Crabbe

Wine, like the rising sun, possession gains,
And drives the mist of dullness from the brains,
The gloomy vapor from the spirit flies,
And views of gaiety and gladness rise. — George Crabbe

Circles in water as they wider flow
The less conspicuous in their progress grow,
And when at last they trench upon the shore,
Distinction ceases and they're view'd no more. — George Crabbe

To sigh, yet not recede; to grieve, yet not repent. — George Crabbe

All green was anished sae of pine and yew, That still displayed their melancholy hue; Sae the green holly with its berries red, And the green moss that o'er the grael spread. — George Crabbe

Experience finds few of the scenes that lively hope designs. — George Crabbe

Fashion, though Folly's child, and guide of fools, Rules e'en the wisest, and in learning rules. — George Crabbe

Who often reads, will sometimes wish to write. — George Crabbe

What is a church? Let Truth and reason speak, They would reply, The faithful, pure and meek, From Christian folds, the one selected race, Of all professions, and in every place. — George Crabbe

A master passion is the love of news. — George Crabbe

To show the world what long experience gains, requires not courage, though it calls for pains; but at life's outset to inform mankind is a bold effort of a valiant mind. — George Crabbe

Feel you the barren flattery of a rhyme?
Can poets soothe you, when you pine for bread,
By winding myrtle round your ruin'd shed? — George Crabbe

Oh, rather give me commentators plain, Who with no deep researches vex the brain; Who from the dark and doubtful love to run, And hold their glimmering tapers to the sun. — George Crabbe

A club there is of smokers
dare you come
To that close, clouded, hot, narcotic room?
When, midnight past, the very candles seem
Dying for air, and give a ghastly gleam;
When curling fumes in lazy wreaths arise,
And prosing topers rub their winking eyes. — George Crabbe

The coward never on himself relies, But to an equal for assistance flies. — George Crabbe

The wife was pretty, trifling, childish, weak; She could not think, but would not cease to speak. — George Crabbe

Tis easiest dealing with the firmest mind
More just when it resists, and, when it yields, more kind. — George Crabbe

Deceivers are the most dangerous members of society. They trifle with the best affections of our nature, and violate the most sacred obligations. — George Crabbe

To the house of a friend if you're pleased to retire, You must all things admit, you must all things admire; You must pay with observance the price of your treat, You must eat what is praised, and must praise what you eat. — George Crabbe

Men famed for wit, of dangerous talents vain,
Treat those of common parts with proud disdain;
The powers that wisdom would, improving, hide,
They blaze abroad, with inconsid'rate pride;
While yet but mere probationers for fame,
They seize the honor they should then disclaim:
Honor so hurried to the light must fade,
The lasting laurels nourish in the shade. — George Crabbe

With eye upraised his master's looks to scan, The joy, the solace, and the aid of man; The rich man's guardian, and the poor man's friend, The only creature faithful to the end. — George Crabbe

Learning is better worth than houses or land. — George Crabbe

Against her foes Religion well defends Her sacred truths, but often fears her friends. — George Crabbe

Beauties, when disposed to sleep,
Should from the eye of keen inspector keep:
The lovely nymph who would her swain surprise,
May close her mouth, but not conceal her eyes;
Sleep from the fairest face some beauty takes,
And all the homely features homelier makes. — George Crabbe

There is no mind so weak and powerless as not to have its inclinations, and none so guarded as to be without its prepossessions. — George Crabbe

Genius! thou gift of Heav'n! thou Light divine!
Amid what dangers art thou doom'd to shine!
Oft will the body's weakness check thy force,
Oft damp thy Vigour, and impede thy course;
And trembling nerves compel thee to restrain
Thy noble efforts, to contend with pain;
Or Want (sad guest!) will in thy presence come,
And breathe around her melancholy gloom:
To Life's low cares will thy proud thought confine,
And make her sufferings, her impatience, thine. — George Crabbe

The game is never lost till won. — George Crabbe

Arrogance is the act of the great; presumption that of the little. — George Crabbe

In this wild world the fondest and the best
Are the most tried, most troubled and distress'd. — George Crabbe

Life's bloomy flush was lost. — George Crabbe

We cannot heal the throbbing heart till we discern the wounds within. — George Crabbe

Fortunes are made, if I the facts may state
Though poor myself, I know the fortunate:
First, there's a knowledge of the way from whence
Good fortune comes
and this is sterling sense:
Then perseverance, never to decline
The chase of riches till the prey is thine;
And firmness never to be drawn away
By any passion from that noble prey
By love, ambition, study, travel, fame,
Or the vain hope that lives upon a name. — George Crabbe

Habit with him was all the test of truth; It must be right: I've done it from my youth. — George Crabbe

Void of all honor, avaricious, rash, The daring tribe compound their boasted trash Tincture of syrup, lotion, drop, or pill; All tempt the sick to trust the lying bill. — George Crabbe

A great lie is like a great fish on dry land; it may fret and fling and make a frightful bother, but it cannot hurt you. You have only to keep still, and it will die of itself. — George Crabbe

Ease leads to habit, as success to ease.
He lives by rule who lives himself to please. — George Crabbe

Oh, Conscience! Conscience! man's most faithful friend, Him canst thou comfort, ease, relieve, defend; But if he will thy friendly checks forego, Thou art, oh! woe for me, his deadliest foe! — George Crabbe

That all men would be cowards if they dare,
Some men we know have courage to declare. — George Crabbe

An infatuated man is not only foolish, but wild. — George Crabbe

Lo! the poor toper whose untutored sense, Sees bliss in ale, and can with wine dispense; Whose head proud fancy never taught to steer, Beyond the muddy ecstasies of beer. — George Crabbe

What is a church?-Our honest sexton tells, 'Tis a tall building, with a tower and bells. — George Crabbe

I grant indeed that fields and flocks have charms, For him that gazes or for him that farms. — George Crabbe

"Lawyers Are": By law's dark by-ways he has stored his mind with wicked knowledge on how to cheat mankind. — George Crabbe

Let's learn to live, for we must die alone. — George Crabbe

Soldiers in arms! Defenders of our soil!
Who from destruction save us; who from spoil
Protect the sons of peace, who traffic or who toil;
Would I could duly praise you, that each deed
Your foe's might honor, and your friends might read. — George Crabbe

From powerful causes spring the empiric's gains, Man's love of life, his weakness, and his pains; These first induce him the vile trash to try, Then lend his name, that other men may buy. — George Crabbe

Men of many words sometimes argue for the sake of talking; men of ready tongues frequently dispute for the sake of victory; men in public life often debate for the sake of opposing the ruling party, or from any other motive than the love of truth. — George Crabbe

How often do we sigh for opportunities for doing good, whilst we neglect the openings of Providence in little things, which would frequently lead to the accomplishment of most important usefulness. Good is done by degrees. However small in proportion the benefit which follows individual attempts to do good, a great deal may thus be accomplished by perseverance, even in the midst of discouragements and disappointments. — George Crabbe

Anger makes us strong, Blind and impatient, And it leads us wrong; The strength is quickly lost; We feel the error long. — George Crabbe

Impertinence will intermeddle in things in which it has no concern, showing a want of breeding, or, more commonly, a spirit of sheer impudence. — George Crabbe

In her experience all her friends relied, Heaven was her help and nature was her guide. — George Crabbe

Oh! 'tis a precious thing, when wives are dead, To find such numbers who will serve instead: And in whatever state a man be thrown, 'Tis that precisely they would wish their own. — George Crabbe

Better to love amiss than nothing to have loved. — George Crabbe

See Time has touched me gently in his race,
And left no odious furrows in my face. — George Crabbe

Through the sharp air a flaky torrent flies, Mocks the slow sight, and hides the gloomy skies; The fleecy clouds their chilly bosoms bare, And shed their substance on the floating air. — George Crabbe

Who calls a lawyer rogue, may find, too lateUpon one of these depends his whole estate. — George Crabbe

A sly old fish, too cunning for the hook. — George Crabbe

I paint the cot, As truth will paint it, and as bards will not. — George Crabbe

Her air, her manners, all who saw admir'd; Courteous though coy, and gentle though retir'd; The joy of youth and health her eyes display'd, And ease of heart her every look convey'd. — George Crabbe

O days remember'd well! remember'd all!
The bitter sweet, the honey and the gall;
Those garden rambles in the silent night,
Those trees so shady, and that moon se bright,
That thickset alley by the arbor clos'd,
That woodbine seat where we at last repos'd;
And then the hopes that came and then were gone,
Quick as the clouds beneath the moon past on. — George Crabbe

Feed the musician, and he's out of tune. — George Crabbe

Some hearts are hidden, some have not a heart. — George Crabbe

'T was good advice, and meant, my son, Be good. — George Crabbe

He tried the luxury of doing good. — George Crabbe

Fears of sinning let in thoughts of sin. — George Crabbe

With awe, around these silent walks I tread; These are the lasting mansions of the dead. — George Crabbe