165 Quotes by Thomas Gray

Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife.

When love could teach a monarch to be wise, And gospel-light first dawn’d from Bullen’s eyes.

Fair laughs the morn, and soft the zephyr blows, While proudly rising o’er the azure realm In gallant trim the gilded vessel goes, Youth on the prow, and Pleasure at the helm.

Where’er the oak’s thick branches stretch A broader browner shade; Where’er the rude and moss-grown beech O’er-canopies the glade, Beside some water’s rushy brink With me the Muse shall sit, and think.

E’en from the tomb the voice of nature cries, E’en in our ashes live their wonted fires.

Can storied urn, or animated bust Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath? Can Honour’s voice provoke the silent dust, Or Flatt’ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?

A fav’rite has no friend!

Daughter of Jove, relentless power, Thou tamer of the human breast, Whose iron scourge and tort’ring hour The bad affright, afflict the best!

If the best man’s faults were written on his forehead, he would draw his hat over his eyes.