Robert Blair Quotes

• Friendship! Mysterious cement of the soul, Sweet'ner of life, and solder of society.

  Robert Blair

  Friendship, Sweet, Soul

  Robert Blair, Robert Anderson (1802). “The Poetical Works of Robert Blair: Containing The Grave, Etc., to which is Prefixed, A Life of the Author, by Robert Anderson, Accompanied by Prints, Designed and Engraved by W. Gardiner”, p.8

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• The good he scorn'd Stalk'd off reluctant, like an ill-us'd ghost, Not to return; or if it did, its visits Like those of angels, short, and far between.

  Robert Blair

  Angel, Return, Ghost

  Robert Blair (1804). “The grave, a poem. To which are added An elegy in a country church-yard, by Gray. Death, a poem, by bishop Porteus [&c.].”

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• How blunt are all the arrows of thy quiver in comparison with those of guilt.

  Robert Blair

  Stupid, Arrows, Guilt

  8 Copy quote

• Of joys departed, not to return, how painful the remembrance

  Robert Blair

  Pain, Remembrance, Joy

  Robert Blair, Robert Anderson (1802). “The Poetical Works of Robert Blair: Containing The Grave, Etc., to which is Prefixed, A Life of the Author, by Robert Anderson, Accompanied by Prints, Designed and Engraved by W. Gardiner”, p.9

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• Action, so to speak, is the genius of nature.

  Robert Blair

  Nature, Genius, Action

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• Beauty! thou pretty plaything! dear deceit, That steals so softly o'er the stripling's heart, And gives it a new pulse unknown before!

  Robert Blair

  Beauty, Heart, Giving

  Robert Blair (1851). “The Grave: A Poem”, p.37

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• Industry is not only the instrument of improvement, but the foundation of pleasure. He who is a stranger to it may possess, but cannot enjoy, for it is labor only which gives relish to pleasure. It is the indispensable condition of possessing a sound mind in a sound body, and it is the appointed vehicle of every good to man.

  Robert Blair

  Men, Giving, Mind

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• How shocking must thy summons be, O death, to him that is at ease in his possessions! who, counting on long years of pleasure here, is quite unfurnished for the world to come.

  Robert Blair

  Years, Long, Ease

  Robert Blair (1826). “Sacred poems: comprising The grave, by R. Blair: The last day, by E. Young: Death, by bishop Porteus: and some minor pieces. With memoirs and notes by S. Drew”, p.21

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• Affectation is certain deformity; by forming themselves on fantastic models, the young begin with being ridiculous, and often end in being vicious.

  Robert Blair

  Ridiculous, Affection, Fantastic

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• Our time is fixed, and all our days are number'd;
  How long, how short, we know not:—this we know,
  Duty requires we calmly wait the summons,
  Nor dare to stir till Heaven shall give permission.

  Robert Blair

  Numbers, Long, Giving

  William Falconer, Thomas Day, Robert Blair, Robert Glynn, Beilby Porteus (1822). “The Poems of Falconer, Day, Blair, Glynn, and Porteus”, p.216

  4 Copy quote

• The tap'ring pyramid, the Egyptian's pride, And wonder of the world, whose spiky top Has wounded the thick cloud.

  Robert Blair

  Pride, Pyramids, Clouds

  Robert Blair, Thomas Gray, Beilby Porteus (1818). “The grave,: a poem,”, p.17

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• The common damn'd shun their society.

  Robert Blair

  Suicide, Common, Damn

  Robert Blair, Thomas Gray (1837). “The Grave and Other Select Poems on the Common Lot of Man”, p.21

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• When it draws near to witching time of night.

  Robert Blair

  Night, Night Time, Draws

  Robert Blair (1851). “The Grave: A Poem”, p.17

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• Its visits, like those of angels, short, and far between.

  Robert Blair

  Angel

  Hugh Blair, Robert Blair (1837). “Advice to Youth: Containing a Compendium of the Duties of Human Life, in Youth and Manhood”, p.90

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• The grave, dread thing! Men shiver when thou'rt named: Nature appalled, Shakes off her wonted firmness.

  Robert Blair

  Fear, Men, Graves

  Robert Blair (1826). “Sacred poems: comprising The grave, by R. Blair: The last day, by E. Young: Death, by bishop Porteus: and some minor pieces. With memoirs and notes by S. Drew”, p.9

  7 Copy quote

• Whistling aloud to bear his courage up.

  Robert Blair

  Courage, Bears, Whistling

  Robert Blair, Thomas Gray, Beilby Porteus (1818). “The grave,: a poem,”, p.13

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• Throughout the whole vegetable, sensible, and rational world, whatever makes progress towards maturity, as soon as it has passed that point, begins to verge towards decay.

  Robert Blair

  Maturity, Vegetables, Progress

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• That discipline which corrects the eagerness of worldly passions, which fortifies the heart with virtuous principles, which enlightens the mind with useful knowledge, and furnishes to it matter of enjoyment from within itself, is of more consequence to real felicity than all the provisions which we can make of the goods of fortune.

  Robert Blair

  Real, Heart, Knowledge

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• But if there be an hereafter,And that there is, conscience, uninfluenc'dAnd suffer'd to speak out, tells every man,Then must it be an awful thing to die;More horrid yet to die by one's own hand.

  Robert Blair

  Men, Hands, Speaks Out

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• The best-concerted schemes men lay for fame, Die fast away: only themselves die faster. The far-fam'd sculptor, and the laurell'd bard, Those bold insurancers of deathless fame, Supply their little feeble aids in vain.

  Robert Blair

  Men, Littles, Fame

  Robert Blair, Robert Anderson (1802). “The Poetical Works of Robert Blair: Containing The Grave, Etc., to which is Prefixed, A Life of the Author, by Robert Anderson, Accompanied by Prints, Designed and Engraved by W. Gardiner”, p.14

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