John Denham Quotes

• Learn to live well, that thou may'st die so too;
  To live and die is all we have to do.

  John Denham

  Life, May, Live Well

  Sir John Denham (1779). “The poetical works of Sir John Denham: With the life of the author”

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• The man who first abused his fellows with swear-words instead of bashing their brains out with a club should be counted among those who laid the foundations of civilization.

  John Denham

  Men, Civilization, Abuse

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• Actions of the last age are like almanacs of the last year.

  John Denham

  Years, Age, Lasts

  "Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations" by Jehiel Keeler Hoyt, p. 6-9, The Sophy, A Tragedy, 1922.

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• Poetry is of so subtle a spirit, that in the pouring out of one language into another it will evaporate.

  John Denham

  Pouring, Spirit, Language

  Edmund Waller, Sir John Denham, Wentworth Dillon Earl of Roscommon, Samuel Johnson (1822). “The Poems of Edmund Waller”, p.166

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• Such is our pride, our folly, or our fate, That few, but such as cannot write, translate.

  John Denham

  Writing, Fate, Pride

  'To Richard Fanshaw' (1648)

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• When any great design thou dost intend, Think on the means, the manner, and the end.

  John Denham

  Mean, Thinking, Design

  Sir John Denham (1709). “Poems and Translations: With the Sophy, a Tragedy”, p.150

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• Nor ought a genius less than his that writ attempt translation.

  John Denham

  Genius, Ought, Translations

  Sir John Denham (1709). “Poems and Translations: With the Sophy, a Tragedy”, p.114

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• Youth, what man's age is like to be, doth show; We may our ends by our beginnings know.

  John Denham

  Men, Age, May

  'Of Prudence' l. 225

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• Uncertain ways unsafest are, and doubt a greater mischief than despair.

  John Denham

  Doubt, Despair, Way

  Edmund Waller, Sir John Denham (1857). “The poetical works of Edmund Waller and Sir John Denham”, p.224

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• Who fears not to do ill fears the name, And free from conscience, is a slave to fame.

  John Denham

  Names, Slave, Fame

  Edmund Waller, Sir John Denham, Wentworth Dillon Earl of Roscommon, Samuel Johnson (1822). “The Poems of Edmund Waller”, p.115

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• You prove but too clearly that seeking to know Is too frequently learning to doubt.

  John Denham

  Doubt, Prove, Knows

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• Tis the most certain sign, the world's accurst That the best things corrupted, are the worst; 'Twas the corrupted Light of knowledge, hurl'd Sin, Death, and Ignorance o'er all the world; That Sun like this (from which our sight we have) Gaz'd on too long, resumes the light he gave.

  John Denham

  Ignorance, Light, Sight

  Sir John Denham (1751). “Poems and Translations: With the Sophy, a Tragedy”, p.108

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• Books should to one of these fours ends conduce, for wisdom, piety, delight, or use.

  John Denham

  Book, Reading, Use

  Sir John Denham (1719). “Poems and Translations: With The Sophy, a Tragedy. Written by the Honourable Sir John Denham, ...”, p.94

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• Sure there are poets which did never dream Upon Parnassus, nor did taste the stream Of Helicon; we therefore may suppose Those made not poets, but the poets those.

  John Denham

  Dream, May, Taste

  Edmund Waller, Sir John Denham, Wentworth Dillon Earl of Roscommon, Samuel Johnson (1822). “The Poems of Edmund Waller”, p.111

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• We are never like angels till our passion dies.

  John Denham

  Angel, Passion, Dies

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• Though with those streams he no resemblance hold, Whose foam is amber and their gravel gold; His genuine and less guilty wealth t' explore, Search not his bottom, but survey his shore.

  John Denham

  Gold, Guilt, Foam

  John Denham, “Cooper's Hill”

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• Search not to find things too deeply hid; Nor try to know things whose knowledge is forbid.

  John Denham

  Knowledge, Trying, Knows

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• It is no exaggeration to say that Israeli policy in the occupied territories is not simply a matter of foreign policy - it is a matter for British domestic security policy too.

  John Denham

  Territory, Matter, British

  "British imams to tackle radicals in mosques" by Alan Travis, www.theguardian.com. September 22, 2005.

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• Whatsoever is worthy of their love is worth their anger.

  John Denham

  Anger, Love Is, Worthy

  Sir John Denham (1709). “Poems and Translations: With the Sophy, a Tragedy”, p.301

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• But whither am I strayed? I need not raise Trophies to thee from other men's dispraise; Nor is thy fame on lesser ruins built; Nor needs thy juster title the foul guilt Of Eastern kings, who, to secure their reign, Must have their brothers, sons, and kindred slain.

  John Denham

  Brother, Kings, Son

  John Denham, “On Mr. John Fletcher's Works”

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