George Herbert

"People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

"For want of a nail the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost."

"Knowledge is folly unless grace guide it."

"To write a verse or two is all the praise That I can raise."

"Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, A box where sweets compacted lie."

"Like summer friends, Flies of estate and sunneshine."

"Bibles laid open, millions of surprises."

"Man is one world, and hath Another to attend him."

"Wouldst thou both eat thy cake and have it?"

"Do well and right, and let the world sink."

"My meaning (dear Mother) is in these sonnets, to declare my resolution to be, that my poor abilities in poetry, shall be all and ever consecrated to God's glory."

"It (my book) is a picture of the many spiritual conflicts that have passed between God and my soul, before I could subject mine to the will of Jesus, my Master, in whose service I have now found perfect freedom. (Maycock, A L, Nicholas Ferrar of Little Gidding. SPCK, London, 1938)"

"A verse may finde him,who a sermon flies And turns delight into a sacrifice"

"Verse 1 Line 5&6"

"Drink not the third glass, which thou canst not tame, When once it is within thee."

"Lines 25-26"

"Dare to be true. Nothing can need a lie: A fault, which needs it most, grows two thereby."

"Lines 77-78"

"By all means use sometimes to be alone."

"By no means run in debt: take thine own measure. Who cannot live on twenty pound a year, Cannot on forty."

"Lines 175-177"

"Wit's an unruly engine, wildly striking Sometimes a friend, sometimes the engineer."

"Lines 241-242"

"Be calm in arguing: for fierceness makes Error a fault, and truth discourtesy."

"Lines 307-308"

"Be useful where thou livest."

"Man is God's image; but a poor man is Christ's stamp to boot: both images regard."

"Lines 379-380"

"Chase brave employment with a naked sword Throughout the world."

"Sundays observe; think when the bells do chime, 'T is angels' music."

"The worst speak something good; if all want sense, God takes a text, and preacheth Pa-ti-ence."

"Lines 1-16."

"Lines 12-14"

"Lines 19-22"

"Lines 1-10"

"Lines 1-14"

"Lines 25-28"

"Lines 6-10"

"Lines 17-18"

"Lines 13-16"

"Lines 1-12"

"Lines 109-110"

"Lines 139-140"

"Lines 21-24"

"Lines 55-60"

"Lines 22-26"

"Lines 33-36"

"Lines 13-15"

"Lines 18-20"

"Lines 36-42"

"Lines 16-18"

"The fineness which a hymn or psalm affords If when the soul unto the lines accords."

"Lines 17-20"

"Lines 29-32"

"Teach me, my God and King, In all things thee to see And what I do in any thing, To do it as for thee.."

"A servant with this clause Makes drudgery divine: Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws, Makes that and th' action fine."

"Lines 235-236"

"1. Man proposeth, God disposeth."

"13. The scalded dog feares cold water."

"14. Pleasing ware is halfe sould."

"15. Light burthens long borne growe heavie."

"18. When all sinnes growe old covetousnesse is young."

"20. You cannot know wine by the barrell."

"49. Love and a cough cannot be hid."

"61. Ill ware is never cheape."

"67. Never had ill workman good tooles."

"74. Hearken to Reason, or shee will bee heard."

"77. When a dog is a-drowning every one offers him drink."

"79. Who is so deafe as he that will not heare?"

"80. He that is warme thinkes all so."

"82. Hee that goes barefoot must not plant thornes."

"86. He that lives well is learned enough."

"89. All truths are not to be told."

"104. Leave jesting while it pleaseth, lest it turne to earnest."

"105. Deceive not thy physitian, confessor, nor lawyer."

"123. To a boyling pot flies come not."

"136. Old wine and an old friend are good provisions."

"138. Well may hee smell fire whose gowne burnes."

"141. Love your neighbor, yet pull not downe your hedge."

"149. Marry your sonne when you will, your daughter when you can."

"153. The mill cannot grind with water that's past."

"155. Good words are worth much, and cost little."

"158. The eye and religion can beare no jesting."

"165. Debters are lyers."

"166. Of all smells, bread ; of all tasts, salt."

"169. God heales, and the physitian hath the thankes."

"170. Hell is full of good meanings and wishings."

"177. One stroke fells not an oke."

"183. Where the drink goes in there the wit goes out."

"192. Whose house is of glasse must not throw stones at another."

"193. If the old dog barke he gives counsell."

"196. Hee that lookes not before finds himself behind."

"200. The hole calls the thiefe."

"208. The honey is sweet, but the bee stings."

"213. Send a wise man on an errand, and say nothing unto him."

"215. Into a mouth shut flies flie not."

"222. One graine fills not a sacke, but helpes his fellowes."

"235. One hand washeth another, and both the face."

"241. An ill wound is cured, not an ill name."

"242. The wise hand doth not all that the foolish mouth speakes."

"248. Marry a widdow before she leave mourning."

"253. A foole knowes more in his house then a wise man in another's."

"279. Many kisse the hand they wish cut off."

"286. Goe not for every griefe to the physitian, nor for every quarrell to the lawyer, nor for every thirst to the pot."

"292. The best mirrour is an old friend."

"294. A man's discontent is his worst evill."

"296. The child saies nothing but what it heard by the fire."

"300. He will burne his house to warme his hands."

"302. All is not gold that glisters."

"305. He is not poore that hath little, but he that desireth much."

"307. Hee wrongs not an old man that steales his supper from him."

"310. Keep not ill men company, lest you increase the number."

"314. The absent partie is still faultie."

"317. Be not a baker if your head be of butter."

"319. Little sticks kindle the fire, great ones put it out."

"322. Although the sun shine, leave not thy cloake at home."

"334. When you are an anvill, hold you still; when you are a hammer, strike your fill."

"336. He that makes his bed ill, lies there."

"339. Hee that lies with the dogs riseth with fleas."

"344. Who eates his cock alone must saddle his horse alone."

"345. He that is not handsome at twenty, nor strong at thirty, nor rich at forty, nor wise at fifty, will never bee handsome, strong, rich, or wise."

"354. He that hath no ill fortune is troubled with good."

"370. Would you know what mony is, go borrow some."

"374. All things require skill but an appetite."

"375. All things have their place, knew wee how to place them."

"376. Little pitchers have wide eares."

"383. The horse thinkes one thing, and he that sadles him another."

"386. The buyer needes a hundred eyes, the seller not one."

"391. To a crazy ship all windes are contrary."

"404. One father is enough to governe one hundred sons, but not a hundred sons one father."

"406. He that blames would buy."

"412. He that seekes trouble never misses."

"413. He that once deceives is ever suspected."

"421. He that hath a head of waxe must not walke in the sunne."

"422. He that hath love in his brest hath spurres in his sides."

"429. Hee that hath one hogge makes him fat ; and hee that hath one sonne makes him a foole."

"440. Fly the pleasure that bites to-morrow."

"445. A great ship askes deepe waters."

"449. Trust not one night's ice."

"460. The resolved minde hath no cares."

"465. In the kingdome of blind men the one-ey'd is king."

"467. Warre makes theeves, and peace hangs them."

"473. Hope is the poor man's bread."

"475. Fine words dresse ill deedes."

"477. A poore beauty finds more lovers than husbands."

"495. For want of a naile the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost."

"496. Weigh justly and sell dearely."

"497. Little wealth, little care."

"499. Gluttony kills more then the sword."

"502. A penny spar'd is twice got."

"508. He that tells a secret is another's servant."

"511. Pension never inriched young man."

"519. One enemy is too much."

"520. Living well is the best revenge."

"523. A fool may throw a stone into a well, which a hundred wise men cannot pull out."

"533. Help thyselfe, and God will helpe thee."

"534. At the game's end we shall see who gaines."

"557. The offender never pardons."

"562. When the tree is fallen all goe with their hatchet."

"574. A feather in hand is better then a bird in the ayre."

"577. Folly growes without watering."

"583. Thursday come and the week's gone."

"601. The fatt man knoweth not what the leane thinketh."

"611. Time is the rider that breakes youth."

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

"620. Before you make a friend eate a bushell of salt with him."

"621. Speake fitly, or be silent wisely."

"639. Emptie vessels sound most."

"648. Show me a lyer, and I'l shew thee a theefe."

"649. A beane in liberty is better than a comfit in prison."

"676. A little wind kindles, much puts out the fire."

"677. Dry bread at home is better than rost meate abroad."

"678. More have repented speech then silence."

"682. One father is more than a hundred schoole-masters."

"684. When God will punish, He will first take away the understanding."

"707. Reason lies betweene the spurre and the bridle."

"710. Three can hold their peace if two be away."

"714. Comparisons are odious."

"719. One sword keepes another in the sheath."

"720. Be what thou wouldst seem to be."

"737. The best smell is bread, the best savour salt, the best love that of children."

"743. God's mill grinds slow but sure."

"744. Every one thinkes his sacke heaviest."

"753. By doing nothing we learne to do ill."

"756. Every sin brings its punishment with it."

"759. Give not S. Peter so much, to leave Saint Paul nothing."

"763. Better speake truth rudely then lye covertly."

"766. Better suffer ill than doe ill."

"775. A shippe and a woman are ever repairing."

"778. He that doth what he should not shall feele what he would not."

"779. He that marries for wealth sells his liberty."

"782. He that lends gives."

"815. In a long journey straw waighs."

"816. Women laugh when they can and weepe when they will."

"830. He thinkes not well that thinkes not againe."

"837. Words are women, deedes are men."

"838. Poverty is no sinne."

"848. He that endures is not overcome."

"850. He that talkes much of his happinesse summons griefe."

"874. None knows the weight of another's burthen."

"876. One houre's sleepe before midnight is worth three after."

"878. It's more paine to doe nothing then something."

"891. Hee hath no leisure who useth it not."

"897. There are more physitians in health then drunkards."

"901. Halfe the world knowes not how the other halfe lies."

"906. Silkes and satins put out the fire in the chimney."

"911. Life is halfe spent before we know what it is."

"916. The little cannot bee great, unlesse he devoure many."

"940. The great would have none great, and the little all little."

"942. Every mile is two in winter."

"966. With customes wee live well, but lawes undoe us."

"971. Hee that learnes a trade hath a purchase made."

"991. Speake not of my debts, unlesse you mean to pay them."

"1010. An oath that is not to bee made is not to be kept."

"1011. The eye is bigger then the belly."

"1023. An old cat sports not with her prey."

"[ An idle youth, a needy age. ]"

"[ Silke doth quench the fire in the kitchin. ]"

"[ The war is not don so long as my enemy lives. ]"

"[ Hee that makes himself a sheep shall be eat by the wolfe. ]"

"[ An old dog barks not in vain. ]"

"[ Cruelty is more cruell if we defer the pain. ]"

"[ What one day gives us another takes away from us. ]"

"[ A scab'd horse cannot abide the comb. ]"

"[ The wolfe eats oft of the sheep that have been warn'd. ]"

"[ When war begins then hell openeth. ]"

"[ There is a remedy for everything, could men find it. ]"

"[ There is an hour wherein a man might be happy all his life, could he find it. ]"

"[ Woe be to him that reads but one book. ]"

"[ The love of money and the love of learning rarely meet. ]"

"[ Some had rather lose their friend then their jest. ]"

"[ Much money makes a countrey poor, for it sets a dearer price on every thing. ]"

"[ Your thoughts close and your countenance loose. ]"

"[ Whatever is made by the hand of man, by the hand of man may be overturned. ]"

"[ Old men go to death; death comes to young men. ]"

"His bark is worse than his bite."

"After death the doctor."

"No sooner is a temple built to God, but the Devil builds a chapel hard by."

"It is a poor sport that is not worth the candle."

"To a close-shorn sheep God gives wind by measure."

"The lion is not so fierce as they paint him."

"The mouse that hath but one hole is quickly taken."

"A dwarf on a giant's shoulders sees farther of the two."

"I must confess, after all that, next to Scripture Poems, there are none so savoury to me, as Mr. George Herbert’s, and Mr. George Sandys’s. I know that Cooly and others far excel Herbert in Wit and accurate composure. But (as Seneca takes with me above all his Contemporaries, because he speaketh Things by words, feelingly and seriously, like a man that is past jest, so) Herbert speaks to God like one that really believeth a God, and where business in the world is most with God. Heart-work and Heaven-work make up his Books."

"The first, that with any effectual success attempted a diversion of this foul and overflowing stream, was the blessed man, Mr. George Herbert, whose holy life and verse gained many pious converts, of whom I am the least; and gave the first check to a most flourishing and admired wit of his time."

"George Herbert, who was the Author of the Temple or Sacred Poems and Ejaculations. (A Book, in which by declaring his own spiritual Conflicts he hath Comforted and raised many a dejected and discomposed Soul, and charmed them into sweet and quiet thoughts: A Book, by the frequent reading whereof, and the assistance of that Spirit that seemed to inspire the Author, the Reader may attain habits of Peace and Piety, and all the gifts of the Holy Ghost and Heaven: and may by still reading, still keep those sacred fires burning upon the Altar of so pure an heart, as shall free it from the anxieties of this world, and keep it fixt upon things that are above)."

"Thus he liv'd, and thus he dy'd like a Saint, unspotted of the World, full of Alms-deeds, full of Humility, and all the examples of vertuous life."

"Every one stretcheth his legs according to his coverlet."

"He can give little to his servant that licks his knife."

"Love, and a Cough, cannot be hid."

"Thursday come, and the week is gone."

"To take the nuts from the fire with the dog's foot."

"When a dog is drowning, every one offers him drink."

"Whose house is of glass, must not throw stones at another."

"Flies enter an open mouth."