William Cowper - Truth Quotes

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He is the freeman whom the truth makes free,
And all are slaves besides.

William Cowper
The only amaranthine flower on earth is virtue; the only lasting treasure, truth.

William Cowper
I was a poet too; but modern taste
Is so refined and delicate and chaste,
That verse, whatever fire the fancy warms,
Without a creamy smoothness has no charms.
Thus, all success depending on an ear,
And thinking I might purchase it too dear,
If sentiment were sacrific'd to sound,
And truth cut short to make a period round,
I judg'd a man of sense could scarce do worse
Than caper in the morris-dance of verse.

William Cowper
Did Charity prevail, the press would prove A vehicle of virtue, truth, and love.

William Cowper
Religion, if in heavenly truths attired, Needs only to be seen to be admired.

William Cowper
All truth is precious, if not all divine; and what dilates the powers must needs refine.

William Cowper
The mind, relaxing into needful sport, Should turn to writers of an abler sort, Whose wit well managed, and whose classic style, Give truth a lustre, and make wisdom smile.

William Cowper
But what is truth? 'Twas Pilate's question put
To Truth itself, that deign'd him no reply.

William Cowper
Remorse, the fatal egg by pleasure laid,
In every bosom where her nest is made,
Hatched by the beams of truth, denies him rest,
And proves a raging scorpion in his breast.

William Cowper
The Spirit breathes upon the Word and brings the truth to sight.

William Cowper
For 't is a truth well known to most,
That whatsoever thing is lost,
We seek it, ere it come to light,
In every cranny but the right.

William Cowper
Great contest follows, and much learned dust
Involves the combatants; each claiming truth,
And truth disclaiming both.

William Cowper
Just knows, and knows no more, her Bible true,—
A truth the brilliant Frenchman never knew.

William Cowper
They whom truth and wisdom lead, can gather honey from a weed.

William Cowper
He likes the country, but in truth must own,
Most likes it, when he studies it in town.

William Cowper
Ceremony leads her bigots forth, prepared to fight for shadows of no worth. While truths, on which eternal things depend, can hardly find a single friend.

William Cowper
And differing judgements serve but to declare
That truth lies somewhere, if we knew but where.

William Cowper