John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester Quotes

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Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children and no theories.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
For all Men would be Cowards if they durst:
And Honesty's against all common Sense.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
But a meek humble Man of modest Sense,
Who, Preaching Peace, does practice Continence;
Whose pious life's a proof he does believe,
Mysterious Truths, which no Man can conceive.
If upon Earth there dwell such God-like Men,
I'll here Recant my Paradox to them;
Adore those Shrines of Virtue, homage pay,
And, with the rabble world, their Laws obey.
If such there are, yet grant me This at least,
Man differs more from Man, than Man from Beast.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Thou treacherous, base deserter of my flame,
False to my passion, fatal to my fame,
Through what mistaken magic dost thou prove
So true to lewdness, so untrue to love?

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Then Old Age, and Experience, hand in hand,
Lead him to death, and make him understand,
After a Search so painful, and so long,
That all his Life he has been in the wrong.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Ere time and place were, time and place were not;
Where primitive nothing something straight begot;
Then all proceeded from the great united what.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Matter, the wickedest offspring of thy race,
By form assisted, flew from thy embrace,
And rebel light obscured thy reverend dusky face.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Lest, once more wandering from that heaven,
I fall on some base heart unblest,
Faithless to thee, false, unforgiven,
And lose my everlasting rest.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Since 'tis Nature's law to change, Constancy alone is strange.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
All monarchs I hate, and the thrones they sit on,
From the hector of France to the cully of Britain.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
But oh, how slowly minutes roll
When absent from her eyes,
That feed my love, which is my soul:
It languishes and dies.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Huddled in dirt the reasoning engine lies,
Who was so proud, so witty and so wise.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Here lies a great and mighty king
Whose promise none relies on;
He never said a foolish thing,
Nor ever did a wise one.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
There's not a thing on earth that I can name,
So foolish, and so false, as common fame.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
If you have a grateful heart (which is a miracle amongst you statesmen), show it by directing the bearer to the best wine in town, and pray let not this highest point of sacred friendship be performed slightly, but go about it with all due deliberation and care, as holy priests to sacrifice, or as discreet thieves to the wary performance of burglary and shop-lifting. Let your well-discerning palate (the best judge about you) travel from cellar to cellar and then from piece to piece till it has lighted on wine fit for its noble choice and my approbation.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
So, when my Days of Impotence approach,
And I'm by Pox and Wine's unlucky chance
Driv'n from the pleasing Billows of debauch
On the dull Shore of lazy Temperance; My Pains at least some Respite shall afford
While I behold the Battles you maintain
When Fleets of Glasses sail about the Board,
From whose Broad-sides Volleys of Wit shall rain.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Angels listen when she speaks:
She 's my delight, all mankind's wonder;
But my jealous heart would break
Should we live one day asunder.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Thus, Statesman-like, I'll saucily impose,
And, safe from Danger, valiantly advise;
Sheltered in Impotence, urge you to Blows,
And, being good for nothing else, be Wise.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Reason, which fifty times for one does err,
Reason, an ignis fatuus of the mind.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Farewell, woman! I intend
Henceforth every night to sit
With my lewd, well-natured friend,
Drinking to engender wit.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Most Men are Cowards, all Men should be Knaves.
The Difference lies, as far as I can see,
Not in the thing it self, but the Degree.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Reason, an Ignis fatuus of the Mind,
Which leaves the light of Nature, Sense, behind.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
To pick out the wildest and most fantastical odd man alive, and to place your kindness there, is an act so brave and daring as will show the greatness of your spirit and distinguish you in love, as you are in all things else, from womankind.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Tis a meaner part of sense to find a fault than taste an excellence.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
E'er time and place were, time and place were not, When Primitive Nothing something straight begot, Then all proceeded from the great united — What.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Here lies our sovereign lord the king,
Whose word no man relies on;
He never says a foolish thing,
Nor ever does a wise one.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Then talk not of Inconstancy,
False Hearts, and broken Vows;
If I, by Miracle, can be
This live-long Minute true to thee,
'Tis all that Heav'n allows.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
Naked she lay, clasped in my longing arms,
I filled with love, and she all over charms;
Both equally inspired with eager fire,
Melting through kindness, flaming in desire.
With arms, legs, lips close clinging to embrace.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
When my young master's worship comes to town,
From pedagogue and mother just fit free,
The heir and hopes of a great famiiy;
Who with strong beer and beef the country rules,
And ever since the Conquest have been fools;
And now, with careful prospect to maintain
This character, lest crossing of the strain
Should mend the booby breed, his friends provide
A cousin of his own to be his bride…

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
On thy wither'd lips and dry,
Which like barren furrows lie,
Brooding kisses I will pour,
Shall thy youthful heart restore.
(Such kind showers in autumn fall,
And a second spring recall);
Nor from thee will ever part,
Ancient Person of my Heart.

John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester