George Herbert Quotes

300 Sourced Quotes

Infants manners are moulded more by the example of Parents, then by stars at their nativities.

George Herbert
He hath great neede of a foole, that plaies the foole himselfe.

George Herbert
Of a pigs taile you can never make a good shaft.
[Of a pig's tail you can never make a good shaft.]

George Herbert
The ofspring of those that are very young, or very old, lasts not.

George Herbert
When God is made the master of a family, he disorders the disorderly.

George Herbert
Exalted Manna, gladness of the best, Heaven in ordinary, man well drest,

George Herbert
States have their conversions and periods as well as naturall bodies.

George Herbert
Life without a friend is death without a witnesse.
[Life without a friend is death without a witness.]

George Herbert
Give me simplicity, that I may live,
So live and like, that I may know Thy ways,
Know them and practise them: then shall I give
For this poor wreath, give Thee a crown of praise.

George Herbert
He that hath no hony in his pot, let him have it in his mouth.

George Herbert
God strikes not with both hands, for to the sea he made heavens, and to rivers foords.

George Herbert
One eye of the masters sees more, then ten of the servants.
[One eye of the master sees more than ten of the servants']

George Herbert
It is better to be the head of the lizard than the tail of the lion.

George Herbert
The Physitian owes all to the patient, but the patient owes nothing to him but a little mony.

George Herbert
My body is all symmetry, Full of proportions, one limb to another, And all to all the world besides: Each part may call the farthest, brother: For head with foot hath private smity, And both with moon and tides.

George Herbert
He that hath a head of waxe must not walke in the sunne.
[He that hath a head of wax must not walk in the sun.]

George Herbert
The first service a child doth his father is to make him foolish.

George Herbert
He that is fallen cannot helpe him that is downe.
[He that is fallen cannot help him that is down.]

George Herbert
The little cannot bee great, unlesse he devoure many.
[The little cannot be great unless he devour many.]

George Herbert
You may bring a horse to the river, but he will drinke when and what he pleaseth.

George Herbert
O what a sight were Man, if his attires Did alter with his minde; And like a dolphins skinne, his clothes combin'd With his desires!

George Herbert
Civill Wars of France made a million of Atheists, and 30000 Witches.

George Herbert
A broken Altar, Lord, thy servant rears, Made of a heart, and cemented with tears.

George Herbert
When thou dost tell another's jest, therein Omit the oaths, which true wit cannot need; Pick out of tales the mirth, but not the sin.

George Herbert
Envy not greatness: for thou mak'st thereby Thyself the worse, and so the distance greater.

George Herbert
When the tree is fallen, all goe with their hatchet.
[When the tree is fallen, all go with their hatchet.]

George Herbert
The Frier preached against stealing, and had a goose in his sleeve.

George Herbert
Though a lie be well drest, it is ever overcome.
[Though a lie be well dressed, it is ever overcome.]

George Herbert
Play not for gain, but sport. Who plays for more
Than he can lose with pleasure, stakes his heart;
Perhaps his wife's too, and whom she hath bore.

George Herbert
If thou do ill, the joy fades, not the pains. If well, the pain doth fade, the joy remains.

George Herbert