198 Quotes by Edmund Spenser

Why then should witless man so much misweeneThat nothing is but that which he hath seene?

The waies, through which my weary steps I guyde,In this delightful land of Faery,Are so exceeding spacious and wyde,And sprinckled with such sweet variety,Of all that pleasant is to eare or eye,That I nigh rauisht with rare thoughts delight,My tedious trauell doe forget thereby;And when I gin to feele decay of might,It strength to me supplies and chears my dulled spright.

I hate the day, because it lendeth lightTo see all things, but not my love to see.

Yet gold all is not, that doth gold seem,Nor all good knights, that shake well spear and shield:The worth of all men by their end esteem,And then praise, or due reproach them yield.

One day I wrote her name upon the strand,But came the waves and washèd it away:Again I wrote it with a second hand,But came the tide, and made my pains his prey.

So furiously each other did assayle, As if their soules they would attonce haue rent Out of their brests, that streames of bloud did rayle Adowne, as if their springes of life were spent; That all the ground with purple bloud was sprent, And all their armours staynd with bloudie gore, Yet scarcely once to breath would they relent, So mortall was their malice and so sore,Become of fayned friendship which they vow'd afore.

For love is a celestial harmonyOf likely hearts compos'd of stars' concent,Which join together in sweet sympathy,To work each other's joy and true content,Which they have harbour'd since their first descentOut of their heavenly bowers, where they did seeAnd know each other here belov'd to be.

With golden giftes and many a guilefull word Entyced her, to him for accord.O who may not with gifts and words be tempted?

Aye me, how many perils do enfoldThe righteous man, to make him daily fall?Were not, that heavenly grace doth him uphold,And steadfast truth acquite him out of all.