John Donne Quotes

My love though silly is more brave.

The Psalms foretell what I, what any shall do and suffer and say.

Though truth and falsehood be Near twins, yet truth a little elder is.

But think that we Are but turned aside to sleep.

The difference between the reason of man and the instinct of the beast is this, that the beast does but know, but the man knows that he knows.

I wonder by my troth, what thou, and I Did, till we loved? were we not weaned till then? But sucked on country pleasures, childishly? Or snorted we in the seven sleepers' den?

Men have conceived a twofold use of sleep; it is a refreshing of the body in this life, and a preparing of the soul for the next.

That soul that can reflect upon itself, consider itself, is more than so.

Enjoyment always has a spoiling, otherwise it cannot be so.

Between these two, the denying of sins, which we have done, and the bragging of sins, which we have not done, what a space, what a compass is there, for millions of millions of sins!

My world's both parts, and 'o! Both parts must die.

A mathematical point is the most indivisble and unique thing which art can present.

Whilst my physicians by their love are grown Cosmographers, and I their map, who lie Flat on this bed.

That subtle knot which makes us man So must pure lovers souls descend T affections, and to faculties, Which sense may reach and apprehend, Else a great Prince in prison lies.

Dull sublunary lovers' love (Whose soul is sense) cannot admit Absence, because it doth remove Those things which elemented it.

And dare love that, and say so too, And forget the He and She.

The heavens rejoice in motion, why should I Abjure my so much loved variety.

Nature's lay idiot, I taught thee to love.

'Tis the year's midnight, and it is the day's.

I have done one braver thing than all the Worthies did, and yet a braver thence doth spring, which is, to keep that hid.

If every gnat that flies were an archangel, all that could but tell me that there is a God; and the poorest worm that creeps tells me that.

Let not thy divining heart Forethink me any ill; Destiny may take thy part, And may thy fears fulfill.

Great sins are great possessions; but levities and vanities possess us too; and men had rather part with Christ than with any possession.

Doubt wisely; in strange way To stand inquiring right, is not to stray; To sleep, or run wrong, is.

There is no health; physicians say that we, at best, enjoy but neutrality.

Great sorrows cannot speak.

I throw myself down in my chamber, and I call and invite God and his angels thither.

Yesternight the sun went hence, And yet is here today.

That which attempts to elevate the ugly to the level of beauty becomes neither; but an obscenity.

Poor heretics there be,Which think to establish dangerous constancy,But I have told them, ‘Since you will be true,You shall be true to them, who are false to you.

Oh do not die, for I shall hate All women so, when thou art gone.

Man hath weaved out a net, and this net throwne upon the Heavens, and now they are his own.

There is in every miracle a silent chiding of the world, and a tacit reprehension of them who require, or who need miracles.

I did best when I had least truth for my subjects.

Oft from new truths, and new phrase, new doubts grow, As strange attire aliens the men we know.

The world is a great volume, and man the index of that book; even in the body of man, you may turn to the whole world.

Never start with tomorrow to reach eternity. Eternity is not being reached by small steps.

That thou remember them, some claim as debt; I think it mercy, if thou wilt forget.

Other men's crosses are not my crosses.

Let man's soul be a sphere, and then, in this, The intelligence that moves, devotion is.

Twice or thrice had I lov'd thee, Before I knew thy face or name

True and false fears let us refrain, Let us love nobly, and live, and add again Years and years unto years, till we attain To write threescore: this is the second of our reign.

If our two loves be one, or, thou and I Love so alike, that none do slacken, none can die.

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal

Love, built on beauty, soon as beauty, dies.

Nature hath no goal, though she hath law.

This is joy's bonfire, then, where love's strong artsMake of so noble individual partsOne fire of four inflaming eyes, and of two loving hearts.

That our affections kill us not, nor dye.

Grief brought to numbers cannot be so fierce, For, he tames it, that fetters it in verse.

In Heaven, it is always Autumn".