If we may credit certain hints contained in the lives of the saints, love raises the spirit above the sphere of reverence and worship into one of laughter and dalliance: a sphere in which the soul says: 'Shall I, a gnat which dances in Thy ray, Dare to be reverent?'

Coventry Patmore

More Quotes by Coventry Patmore
Categorized in : SoulLaughterGnats
More Quotes From Coventry Patmore

To one who waits, all things reveal themselves so long as you have the courage not to deny in the darkness what you have seen in the light.

Coventry Patmore
lightcouragelong

Fortunately for themselves and the world, nearly all men are cowards and dare not act on what they believe. Nearly all our disasters come of a few fools having the "courage of their convictions."

Coventry Patmore
strengthmenbelieve

A saint is a person who does almost everything any other decent person does, only somewhat better and with a totally different motive.

Coventry Patmore
saintdifferentdoe
Great is his faith who dares believe his own eyes. by Coventry Patmore

Great is his faith who dares believe his own eyes.

Coventry Patmore
eyefaithbelieve

The woman is the man's glory, and she naturally delights in the praises which are assurances that she is fulfilling her function; and she gives herself to him who succeeds in convincing her that she, of all others, is best able to discharge it for him. A woman without this kind of "vanity" is a monster.

Coventry Patmore
vanitywomengiving
One fool will deny more truth in half an hour than a wise man can... by Coventry Patmore

One fool will deny more truth in half an hour than a wise man can prove in seven years.

Coventry Patmore
truthwisemen
Ask abundantly, for the measure of your asking shall be that of y... by Coventry Patmore

Ask abundantly, for the measure of your asking shall be that of your receiving.

Coventry Patmore
receivingasksasking
A woman is a foreign land. by Coventry Patmore

A woman is a foreign land.

Coventry Patmore
foreign-landsland
It is one thing to be blind, and another to be in darkness. by Coventry Patmore

It is one thing to be blind, and another to be in darkness.

Coventry Patmore
one-thingblinddarkness

Ah, whither shall a maiden flee, When a bold youth so swift pursues, And siege of tenderest courtesy, With hope perseverant, still renews!

Coventry Patmore
siegecourtesyyouth
Uncommon things must be said in common words. by Coventry Patmore

Uncommon things must be said in common words.

Coventry Patmore
uncommonsaidcommon
Creation differs from subsistence only as the first leap of a fou... by Coventry Patmore

Creation differs from subsistence only as the first leap of a fountain differs from its continuance.

Coventry Patmore
fountaincreationfirsts
A moment's fruition of a true felicity is enough and eternity not... by Coventry Patmore

A moment's fruition of a true felicity is enough and eternity not too much.

Coventry Patmore
fruitiontoo-muchmoments

Books are influential in proportion to their obscurity, provided that the obscurity be that of inexpressible Realities. The Bible is the most obscure book in the world. He must be a great fool who thinks he understands the plainest chapter of it.

Coventry Patmore
bookrealitythinking
To have noughtIs to have all things without care or thought! by Coventry Patmore

To have noughtIs to have all things without care or thought!

Coventry Patmore
careall-things
The promises of God are samples of what is promised; as a handful... by Coventry Patmore

The promises of God are samples of what is promised; as a handful of wheat is of the barn.

Coventry Patmore
barnswheatpromise
The ardour chills us which we do not share. by Coventry Patmore

The ardour chills us which we do not share.

Coventry Patmore
chillshare

Then sleep the seasons, full of might; While slowly swells the pod, And rounds the peach, and in the night The mushroom bursts the sod. The winter comes: the frozen rut Is bound with silver bars; the white drift heaps against the hut; and night is pierced with stars.

Coventry Patmore
starssleeptime
Life is not life at all without delight. by Coventry Patmore

Life is not life at all without delight.

Coventry Patmore
coventrydelightlife-is
Those who know God know that it is quite a mistake to suppose tha... by Coventry Patmore

Those who know God know that it is quite a mistake to suppose that there are only five senses.

Coventry Patmore
five-sensesgodmistake