George Crabbe Quotes

George Crabbe delivers sharp, witty commentary on human habits and the hidden costs of wealth.

36 quotes

1. Where Plenty smiles - alas! she smiles for few, And those who taste not, yet behold her store, Are as the slaves that dig the golden ore, The wealth around them makes them doubly poor.

2. The murmuring poor, who will not fast in peace.

3. A master passion is the love of news.

4. Our farmers round, well pleased with constant gain, Like other farmers, flourish and complain.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. Habit with him was all the test of truth, It must be right: I've done it from my youth.

8. In this fool's paradise he drank delight.

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

10. In idle wishes fools supinely stay; Be there a will, and wisdom finds a way.

11. Who calls a lawyer rogue, may find, too late Upon one of these depends his whole estate.

12. Cut and come again.

13. Better to love amiss than nothing to have loved.

14. But 'twas a maxim he had often tried, That right was right, and there he would abide.

15. 'T was good advice, and meant, my son, Be good.

16. Secrets with girls, like loaded guns with boys, Are never valued till they make a noise.

17. He tried the luxury of doing good.

18. To sigh, yet not recede; to grieve, yet not repent.

19. And took for truth the test of ridicule.

20. Time has touched me gently in his race, And left no odious furrows in my face.

21. In general satire, every man perceives A slight attack, yet neither fears nor grieves.

22. 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.

23. In her experience all her friends relied, Heaven was her help and nature was her guide.

24. 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.

25. Ability comprehends the power of doing in general, without specifying the quality or degree.

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

27. Life is not measured by the time we live.

28. 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.

29. Arrogance is the act of the great; presumption that of the little.

30. 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.

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

32. The coward never on himself relies, But to an equal for assistance flies.

33. But monument themselves memorials need.

34. Let's learn to live, for we must die alone.

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

36. Dreams are like portraits; and we find they please because they are confessed resemblances.