Walter Scott Quotes & Sayings

Profan'd the God-given strength, and marr'd the lofty line. — Walter Scott

Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentred all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonor'd, and unsung. — Walter Scott

Treason seldom dwells with courage. — Walter Scott

... having once seen him put forth his strength in battle, methinks I could know him again among a thousand warriors. He rushes into the fray as if he were summoned to a banquet. There is more than mere strength
there seems as if the whole soul and spirit of the champion were given to every blow which he deals upon his enemies. God assoilzie him of the sin of bloodshed! It is fearful, yet magnificent, to behold how the arm and heart of one man can triumph over hundreds. — Walter Scott

Jock, when ye hae naething else to do, ye may be aye sticking in a tree; it will be growing, Jock, when ye 're sleeping. — Walter Scott

There is more sense in your language, Bucklaw," replied the Master, "than might have been expected from your conduct - it is too true, our vices steal upon us in forms outwardly fair as those of the demons whom the superstitious represent as intriguing with the human race, and are not discovered in their native hideousness until we have clasped them in our arms. — Walter Scott

No word of commiseration can make a burden feel one feather's weight lighter to the slave who must carry it. — Walter Scott

See yonder rock from which the fountain gushes; is it less compact of adamant, though waters flow from it? Firm hearts have moister eyes. — Walter Scott

To all, to each, a fair good-night, And pleasing dreams, and slumbers light. — Walter Scott

Oh, what a tangled web we weave ... when first we practice to deceive. — Walter Scott

Cats are a mysterious kind of folk. There is more passing in their minds than we are aware of. — Walter Scott

What!" said Bois-Guilbert, "so soon?" "Ay," replied the preceptor, "trial moves rapidly on when the judge has determined the sentence beforehand. — Walter Scott

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education. — Walter Scott

To augment their misery, a contagious disorder of a dangerous nature spread through the land; and, rendered more virulent by the uncleanness, the indifferent food, and the wretched lodging of the lower classes, swept off many whose fate the survivors were tempted to envy, as exempting them from the evils which were to come. — Walter Scott

A ruin should always be protected but never repaired - thus may we witness full the lingering legacies of the past. — Walter Scott

Here eglantine embalm'd the air, Hawthorne and hazel mingled there; The primrose pale, and violet flower, Found in each cliff a narrow bower; Fox-glove and nightshade, side by side, Emblems of punishment and pride, Group'd their dark hues with every stain The weather-beaten crags retain. — Walter Scott

Many a law, many a commandment have I broken, but my word never. — Walter Scott

It will be just like Duncan Mac-Girdie's mare,' said Evan, 'if your ladyships please, he wanted to use her by degrees to live without meat, and just as he had put her on a straw a day the poor thing died! — Walter Scott

The heart-sick faintness of the hope delayed! — Walter Scott

Good wine needs neither bush nor preface to make it welcome. And they drank the red wine through the helmet barr'd. — Walter Scott

Thus do men throw on fate the issue of their own wild passions. — Walter Scott

The lover's pleasure, like that of the hunter, is in the chase, and the brightest beauty loses half its merit, as the flower its perfume, when the willing hand can reach it too easily. There must be doubt; there must be difficulty and danger. — Walter Scott

Welcome as the flowers in May. — Walter Scott

Good even, good fair moon, good even to thee. I prithee, dear moon, now show to me the form and the features, the speech and degree, of the man that true lover of mine shall be. — Walter Scott

Methinks I will not die quite happy without having seen something of that Rome of which I have read so much. — Walter Scott

he acquired a more complete mastery of a spirit tamed by adversity, than his former experience had given him; and that he felt himself entitled to say firmly, though perhaps with a sigh, that the romance of his life was ended, and that its real history had now commenced. He was soon called upon to justify his pretensions to reason and philosophy. — Walter Scott

No scene of mortal life but teems with mortal woe. — Walter Scott

As system virtualization becomes mainstream, IT managers will find a greater need for disk imaging for disaster recovery and systems deployment,. — Walter Scott

My mind to me a kingdom is. I am rightful monarch; and, God to aid, I will not be dethroned by any rebellious passion that may rear its standard against me. — Walter Scott

God of Jacob! it is the meeting of two fierce tides - the conflict of two oceans moved by adverse winds! — Walter Scott

Sleep in peace, and wake in joy. — Walter Scott

SHALL this be a short or a long chapter? - This is a question in which you, gentle reader, have no vote, however much you may be interested in the consequences; just as probably you may (like myself) have nothing to do with the imposing a new tax, excepting the trifling circumstance of being obliged to pay it. More — Walter Scott

Teach you children poetry; it opens the mind, lends grace to wisdom and makes the heroic virtues hereditary. — Walter Scott

Fools should not have chapping sticks'; that is, weapons of offence. — Walter Scott

What various scenes, and O! what scenes of Woe,
Are witness'd by that red and struggling beam!
The fever'd patient, from his pallet low,
Through crowded hospitals beholds it stream;
The ruined maiden trembles at its gleam,
The debtor wakes to thought of gyve and jail,
The love-lorn wretch starts from tormenting dream;
The wakeful mother, by the glimmering pale,
Trims her sick infant's couch, and soothes his feeble wail. — Walter Scott

Land of my sires! what mortal hand Can e'er untie the filial band That knits me to thy rugged strand! — Walter Scott

Colonel Talbot? he is a very disagreeable person, to be sure. He looks as if he thought no Scottish woman worth the trouble of handing her a cup of tea. — Walter Scott

I have sought but a kindred spirit to share it, and I have found such in thee. — Walter Scott

Nothing could be more gracefully majestic than his step and manner, had they not been marked by a predominant air of haughtiness, easily acquired by the exercise of unresisted authority. — Walter Scott

A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor man's heart through half the year. — Walter Scott

Lawyer's anxiety about the fate of the most interesting cause has seldom spoiled either his sleep or digestion. — Walter Scott

cared for no rogues but their own, — Walter Scott

Independently of the curious circumstance that such tales should be found existing in very different countries and languages, which augurs a greater poverty of human invention than we would have expected, there is also a sort of wild fairy interest in them, which makes me think them fully better adapted to awaken the imagination and soften the heart of childhood than the good-boy stories which have been in later years composed for them. — Walter Scott

For success, attitude is equally as important as ability. — Walter Scott

What skilful limner e'er would choose To paint the rainbow's varying hues, Unless to mortal it were given To dip his brush in dyes of heaven? — Walter Scott

Stood for his country's glory fast, And nailed her colors to the mast! — Walter Scott

The race of humankind would perish did they cease to aid each other. — Walter Scott

Heaven know its time; the bullet has its billet — Walter Scott

On his bold visage middle age Had slightly press'd its signet sage, Yet had not quench'd the open truth And fiery vehemence of youth: Forward and frolic glee was there, The will to do, the soul to dare. — Walter Scott

A sinful heart makes feeble hand. — Walter Scott

And better had they ne'er been born, Who read to doubt, or read to scorn. — Walter Scott

Call it not vain: they do not err Who say that when the poet dies Mute Nature mourns her worshipper, And celebrates his obsequies. — Walter Scott

Nothing is more the child of art than a garden. — Walter Scott

Cats are a mysterious kind of folk. — Walter Scott

Fight on, brave knights! Man dies, but glory lives! Fight on; death is better than defeat! Fight on brave knights! for bright eyes behold your deeds! — Walter Scott

The most learned, acute, and diligent student cannot, in the longest life, obtain an entire knowledge of this one volume. — Walter Scott

Hurry no man's cattle; you may come to own a donkey yourself — Walter Scott

Meat eaten without either mirth or music is ill of digestion. — Walter Scott

I'll dream no more
by mainly mind
Not even in sleep is well resigned.
My midnight orisons said o'er,
I'll turn to rest and dream no more. — Walter Scott

These pearls are orient, but they yield in whiteness to your teeth; the diamonds are brilliant, but they cannot match your eyes; and ever since I have taken up this wild trade, I have made a vow to prefer beauty to wealth. — Walter Scott

A thousand fearful images and dire suggestions glance along the mind when it is moody and discontented with itself. Command them to stand and show themselves, and you presently assert the power of reason over imagination. — Walter Scott

Now I protest to thee, gentle reader, that I entirely dissent from Francisco de Ubeda in this matter, and hold it the most useful quality of my pen, that it can speedily change from grave to gay, and from description and dialogue to narrative and character. So that if my quill displays no other properties of its mother-goose than her mutability, truly I shall be well pleased; and I conceive that you, my worthy friend, will have no occasion for discontent. From — Walter Scott

Saint George and the Dragon!-Bonny Saint George for Merry England!-The castle is won! — Walter Scott

My foot is on my native heath, and my name is MacGregor. — Walter Scott

Thou and I are but the blind instruments of some irresistible fatality, that hurries us along, like ships driving before the storm, which are dashed against each other, and so perish — Walter Scott

From my experience, not one in twenty marries the first love; we build statues of snow and weep to see them melt. — Walter Scott

Earth walks on Earth, Glittering in gold; Earth goes to Earth, Sooner than it wold; Earth builds on Earth, Palaces and towers; Earth says to Earth, Soon, all shall be ours. — Walter Scott

For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war, Was to wed the fair Ellen of Lochinvar. — Walter Scott

That day of wrath, that dreadful day. When heaven and earth shall pass away. — Walter Scott

All is possible for those who dare to die! — Walter Scott

We shall never learn to feel and respect our real calling and destiny, unless we have taught ourselves to consider every thing as moonshine, compared with the education of the heart. — Walter Scott

Who, noteless as the race from which he sprung,
Saved others' names, but left his own unsung. — Walter Scott

Female forms of exquisite grace and beauty began to mingle in his mental adventures; nor was he long without looking abroad to compare the creatures of his own imagination with the females of actual life. — Walter Scott

Caution comes too late when we are in the midst of evils. — Walter Scott

Hunger and fear are excellent casuists. — Walter Scott

It was woman that taught me cruelty, and on woman therefore I have exercised it. — Walter Scott

The two last were in full tide of spirits, and the Baron rallied in his way our hero upon the handsome figure which his new dress displayed to advantage. 'If you have any design upon the heart of a bonny Scottish lassie, I would premonish you when you address her to remember the words of Virgilius:
"Nunc insanus amor duri me Martis in armis,
Tela inter media atque adversos detinet hostes."
Whilk verses Robertson of Struan, Chief of the clan Donnochy, unless the claims of Lude ought to be preferred primo loco, has thus elegantly rendered:
"For cruel love has gartan'd low my leg,
And clad my hurdies in a philabeg."
Although indeed ye wear the trews, a garment whilk I approve most of the two, as more ancient and seemly.'
'Or rather,' said Fergus, 'hear my song:
"She wadna hae a Lowland laird,
Nor be an English lady;
But she's away with Duncan Graeme,
And he's rowed her in his plaidy. — Walter Scott

Thou hast had thty day, old dame, but thy sun has long been set. Thou art now the very emblem of an old warhorse turned out on the barren heath; thou hast had thy paces in thy time, but now a broken amble is the best of them. — Walter Scott

We build statues out of snow, and weep to see them melt. — Walter Scott

Fear to do base unworthy things is valour; If they be done to us, to suffer them Is valour too. — Walter Scott

In the name of God!" said Gurth, "how came they prisoners? and to whom?"
"Our master was too ready to fight," said the Jester, "and Athelstane was not ready enough, and no other person was ready at all. — Walter Scott

My dear, be a good man be virtuous be religious be a good man. Nothing else will give you any comfort when you come to lie here ... God bless you all. — Walter Scott

But woe awaits a country when She sees the tears of bearded men. — Walter Scott

And please return it. You may think this a strange request, but I find that although my friends are poor arithmeticians, they are nearly all of them good bookkeepers. — Walter Scott

When true friends meet in adverse hour; 'Tis like a sunbeam through a shower. A watery way an instant seen, The darkly closing clouds between. — Walter Scott

Each must drain
His share of pleasure, share of pain. — Walter Scott

Look at a gown of gold, and you will at least get a sleeve of it. — Walter Scott

What can they see in the longest kingly line in Europe, save that it runs back to a successful soldier? — Walter Scott

Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense. — Walter Scott

In the wide pile, by others heeded not,
Hers was one sacred solitary spot,
Whose gloomy aisles and bending shelves contain
For moral hunger food, and cures for moral pain. — Walter Scott

In that pleasant district of merry England which is watered by the river Don, there extended in ancient times a large forest, covering the greater part of the beautiful hills and valleys which lie between Sheffield and the pleasant town of Doncaster. — Walter Scott

There are few men who do not look back in secret to some period of their youth, at which a sincere and early affection was repulsed, or betrayed, or became abortive through opposing circumstances. It is these little passages of secret history, which leave a tinge of romance in every bosom, scarce permitting us, even in the most busy or advanced period of life, to listen with total indifference to a tale of true love. — Walter Scott

There is a vulgar incredulity, which in historical matters, as well as in those of religion, finds it easier to doubt than to examine. — Walter Scott

Without courage there cannot be truth, and without truth there can be no other virtue. — Walter Scott

Blessed be his name, who hath appointed the quiet night to follow the busy day, and the calm sleep to refresh the wearied limbs and to compose the troubled spirit. — Walter Scott

Many of our cares are but a morbid way of looking at our privileges — Walter Scott

Adversity is, to me at least, a tonic and a bracer. — Walter Scott

Hail to the chief in triumph advances. — Walter Scott

In man's most dark extremity Oft succour dawns from Heaven. — Walter Scott

All my life long I have been more melted by the distress under which a strong, proud, and powerful mind is compelled to give way, than by the more easily excited sorrows of softer dispositions. — Walter Scott