As to posterity, I may ask what has it ever done to oblige me? Thomas Gray More Quotes by Thomas Gray More Quotes From Thomas Gray Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms. Thomas Gray smile youth reason Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn. Thomas Gray poetic breathe poetry Not all that tempts your wandering eyes Thomas Gray eye gold heart Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise. Thomas Gray ignorance wise inspirational Visions of glory, spare my aching sight! Ye unborn ages, crowd not on my soul! Thomas Gray vision soul sight Commerce changes entirely the fate and genius of nations, by communicating arts and opinions, circulating money, and introducing the materials of luxury; she first opens and polishes the mind, then corrupts and enervates both that and the body. Thomas Gray commerce fate genius What female heart can gold despise? What cat 's averse to fish? Thomas Gray cat gold heart They hear a voice in every wind, And snatch a fearful joy. Thomas Gray voice joy wind Men will believe anything at all provided they are under no obligation to believe it. Thomas Gray belief men believe The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea, The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me. Thomas Gray tolls darkness wind 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. Thomas Gray winning night peace Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air. Thomas Gray ocean flower dark The paths of glory lead but to the grave. Thomas Gray graves glory path Hell is full of good intentions. Thomas Gray good-intentions intention hell In the evening, I walked alone down to the Lake by the side of Crow Park after sunset and saw the solemn coloring of night draw on, the last gleam of sunshine fading away on the hilltops, the seep serene of the asters, and the long shadows of the mountains thrown across them, till they nearly touched the hithermost shore. At distance hear the murmur of many waterfalls not audible in the day-time. Wished for the moon, but she was dark to me and silent, hid in her vacant interlunar cave. Thomas Gray sunset distance dark A fav'rite has no friend! Thomas Gray rite no-friends friendship Can storied urn, or animated bust Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath? Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust, Or Flatt'ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death? Thomas Gray fleeting voice dust The different steps and degrees of education may be compared to the artificer's operations upon marble; it is one thing to dig it out of the quarry, and another to square it, to give it gloss and lustre, call forth every beautiful spot and vein, shape it into a column, or animate it into a statue. Thomas Gray squares education beautiful Ruin seize thee, ruthless king! Confusion on thy banners wait! Though fann'd by Conquest's crimson wing, They mock the air with idle state. Thomas Gray kings air wings Any fool may write a most valuable book by chance, if he will only tell us what he heard and saw with veracity. Thomas Gray fool writing book
