Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Robert Herrick

English Lyric Poet and Cleric

"Sins first dislik'd are after that belov'd."

"A wanton and lascivious eye betrayes the Hearts Adulterie."

"It is the will that makes the action good or ill."

"Self-respect - that cornerstone of all virtue."

"Tears are the noble language of the eye."

"Three fatall Sisters wait upon each sin; First, Fear and Shame without, then Guilt within."

"Kings ought to shear, not skin their sheep."

"Love is a circle that doth restless move in the same sweet eternity of love."

"Fair Daffodils, we weep to see You haste away so soon: As yet the early-rising Sun Has not attain'd his noon. We have short time to stay, as you, We have as short a Spring; As quick a growth to meet decay As you, or any thing. "

"Give me a kiss, and to that kiss a score; Then to that twenty, add a hundred more: A thousand to that hundred: so kiss on, To make that thousand up a million. Treble that million, and when that is done, Let's kiss afresh, as when we first begun. "

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old time is still a-flying : And this same flower that smiles to-day To-morrow will be dying. The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, The higher he's a-getting, The sooner will his race be run, And nearer he's to setting. That age is best which is the first, When youth and blood are warmer ; But being spent, the worse, and worst Times still succeed the former. Then be not coy, but use your time, And while ye may go marry : For having lost but once your prime You may for ever tarry."

" Lord, 'tis Thy plenty-dropping hand That soils my land; And giv'st me, for my bushel sown, Twice ten for one; Thou mak'st my teeming hen to lay Her egg each day; Besides my healthful ewes to bear Me twins each year; The while the conduits of my kine Run cream, for wine. All these, and better, Thou dost send Me, to this end, That I should render, for my part, A thankful heart."

"A Cat - I keep, that playes about my House, grown fat, with eating many a miching Mouse. To these a Trasy I do keep, whereby I please the more my rurall privacie: which are but toyes, to give my heart some ease: where care none is, slight things do lightly please."

"If well thou hast begun, go on fore-right it is the end that crowns us, not the fight."

"A spark neglected makes a mighty fire."

"A Bachelour I will live as I have liv?d still, and never take a wife to crucifie my life."

"Past Quotes, by Robert Herrick , Source: The Present Time Best Pleaseth"

"Give house-room to the best; 'tis never known Verture and pleasure both to dwell in one."

"A sweet disorder in the dress kindles in clothes a wantonness: a lawn about the shoulders thrown into a fine distraction: an erring lace, which here and there enthralls the crimson stomacher: a cuff neglectful, and thereby ribbands to flow confusedly: a winning wave (deserving note) in the tempestuous petticoat: a careless shoestring, in whose tie I see a wild civility: do more bewitch me than when art is too precise in every part."

"A careless shoe string, in whose tie I see a wilde civility."

"A little meat best fits a little belly, as sweetly Lady, give me leave to tell ye, this little Pipkin fits this little Jelly."

"Against diseases here the strongest fence, Is the defensive vertue, abstinence."

"And after they have shown their pride like you a while, they glide into the grave."

"And found (ah me!) this flesh of mine more like a stock than like a vine."

"A winning wave, (deserving note.) In the tempestuous petticote, A careless shoe-string, in whose tye I see a wilde civility, ? Doe more bewitch me than when art Is too precise in every part."

"And to your more bewitching, see the proud, plump bed bear up, and swelling like a cloud, tempting the two too modest; can ye see it brustle like a swan, and you be cold to meet it when it woos and seems to fold the arms to hug you? Throw, throw yourselves into the mighty overflow of that white pride, and drown the night with you in floods of down."

"Actions from youth, advice from the middle-aged, prayers from the aged."

"Ah woe is me, woe, woe is me, alack and welladay! For pity, sir, find out that bee which bore my love away."

"All these, and better Thou dost send me, to this end, that I should render, for my part, a thankfull heart."

"All things decay with time; the forest sees The growth and downfall of her aged trees: That timber tall, which threescore lustres stood The proud dictator of the state-like wood ? I mean the sov'reign of all plants, the oak, Droops, dies, and falls without the cleaver's stroke."

"And air-like leave no pression to be seen where'er they met, or parting place has been."

"And when all bodies meet in Lethe to be drowned, then only numbers sweet with endless life are crowned."

"And with our broth, and bread, and bits; Sir friend, You've fared well: pray make an end; Two days you've larded here; a third, ye know, Makes guests and fish smell strong; pray go, You to some other chimney."

"And, chiding me, said, 'Hence, remove, Herrick, thou art too coarse to love.'"

"And when I shall meet, thy silv'ry feet my soul I'll pour into thee."

"And, you must know, your Lords word?s true, feed him ye must, whose food fils you. And that this pleasure is like raine, not sent ye for to drowne your paine, but for to make it spring againe."

"Art quickens nature; care will make a face; Neglected beauty perisheth apace."

"Before man's fall the rose was born, St. Ambrose says, without the thorn; but for man's fault then was the thorn without the fragrant rose-bud born; But ne'er the rose without the thorn."

"Attempt the end and never stand to doubt; nothing's so hard, but search will find it out."

"Bid me despair, and I'll despair, under that cypress tree; or bid me die, and I will dare e'en Death, to die for thee."

"Bid me to live, and I will live thy Protestant to be; or bid me love, and I will give a loving heart to thee. A heart as soft, a heart as kind, a heart as sound and free as in the whole world thou canst find, that heart I'll give to thee. Bid that heart stay, and it will stay to honour thy decree; or bid it languish quite away, and 't shall do so for thee. Bid me to weep, and I will weep, while I have eyes to see; and having none, yet I will keep a heart to weep for thee. Bid me despair, and I'll despair, under that cypress tree; or bid me die, and I will dare e'en death, to die for thee. --Thou art my life, my love, my heart, the very eyes of me; and hast command of every part, to live and die for thee."

"But ne'er the rose without the thorn."

"But here's the sunset of a tedious day, these two asleep are; I'll but be undrest, And so to bed. Pray wish us all good rest."

"But if that Golden Age would come again, and Charles here rule as he before did reign;"

"Buying, possessing, accumulating ? this is not worldliness. But doing this in the love of it, with no love of God paramount ? doing it so that thoughts of eternity and God are an intrusion ? doing it so that one's spirit is secularized in the process; this is worldliness."

"By time and council do the best we can: The event is never in the power of man."

"Cherry ripe, ripe, ripe, I cry, full and fair ones; come and buy! If so be you ask me where they do grow, I answer, there, where my Julia's lips do smile; there's the land, or cherry-isle."

"'Cherry-ripe, ripe, ripe', I cry, 'Full and fair ones; come and buy':"

"Come, let us goe, while we are in our prime; and take the harmlesse follie of the time. We shall grow old apace, and die before we know our liberty. Our life is short; and our dayes run as fast away as do?s the Sunne; and as a vapour, or a drop of raine once lost, can ne?r be found againe: so when or you or I are made a fable, song, or fleeting shade; all love, all liking, all delight lies drown?d with us in endlesse night. Then while time serves, and we are but decaying; come, my Corinna, come, let?s goe a Maying."

"Conquer we shall, but, we must first contend! It's not the fight that crowns us, but the end."