Quotes
Quotes about Light
Seas roll to waft me, suns to light me rise;
My footstool earth, my canopy the skies.
Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law,
Pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw;
Some livelier plaything gives his youth delight,
A little louder, but as empty quite;
Scarfs, garters, gold, amuse his riper stage,
And beads and prayer-books are the toys of age.
Pleased with this bauble still, as that before,
Till tired he sleeps, and life's poor play is o'er.
Blest paper-credit! last and best supply!
That lends corruption lighter wings to fly.
Led by the light of the Mæonian star.
Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night:
God said, "Let Newton be!" and all was light.
Religion blushing, veils her sacred fires,
And unawares Morality expires.
Nor public flame nor private dares to shine;
Nor human spark is left, nor glimpse divine!
Lo! thy dread empire Chaos is restor'd,
Light dies before thy uncreating word;
Thy hand, great Anarch, lets the curtain fall,
And universal darkness buries all.
Curse on all laws but those which love has made!
Love, free as air at sight of human ties,
Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies.
One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight;
Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight.
Nor Fame I slight, nor for her favours call;
She comes unlooked for if she comes at all.
What beckoning ghost along the moonlight shade
Invites my steps, and points to yonder glade?
Aurora now, fair daughter of the dawn,
Sprinkled with rosy light the dewy lawn.
Dispel this cloud, the light of Heaven restore;
Give me to see, and Ajax asks no more.
It never was our guise
To slight the poor, or aught humane despise.
In ev'ry sorrowing soul I pour'd delight,
And poverty stood smiling in my sight.
Delightful task! to rear the tender thought,
To teach the young idea how to shoot.
A pleasing land of drowsyhed it was,
Of dreams that wave before the half-shut eye;
And of gay castles in the clouds that pass,
Forever flushing round a summer sky:
There eke the soft delights that witchingly
Instil a wanton sweetness through the breast,
And the calm pleasures always hover'd nigh;
But whate'er smack'd of noyance or unrest
Was far, far off expell'd from this delicious nest.
O'er her warm cheek and rising bosom move
The bloom of young Desire and purple light of Love.
He pass'd the flaming bounds of place and time:
The living throne, the sapphire blaze,
Where angels tremble while they gaze,
He saw; but blasted with excess of light,
Closed his eyes in endless night.
Dear as the light that visits these sad eyes;
Dear as the ruddy drops that warm my heart.
Rich windows that exclude the light,
And passages that lead to nothing.
From toil he wins his spirits light,
From busy day the peaceful night;
Rich, from the very want of wealth,
In heaven's best treasures, peace and health.
When love could teach a monarch to be wise,
And gospel-light first dawn'd from Bullen's eyes.
Above the vulgar flight of common souls.
Hope, like the gleaming taper's light,
Adorns and cheers our way;
And still, as darker grows the night,
Emits a brighter ray.
I am convinced that we have a degree of delight, and that no small one, in the real misfortunes and pains of others.
