We gain nothing by being with such as ourselves. We encourage one another in mediocrity. I am always longing to be with men more excellent than myself. Charles Lamb More Quotes by Charles Lamb More Quotes From Charles Lamb Be not frightened at the hard words "imposition," "imposture;" give and ask no questions. Cast thy bread upon the waters. Some have, unawares, entertained angels. Charles Lamb angel giving water Books think for me. I can read anything which I call a book. Charles Lamb i-can-read book thinking Much depends upon when and where you read a book. In the five or six impatient minutes before the dinner is quite ready, who would think of taking up the Faerie Queen for a stopgap, or a volume of Bishop Andrews's Sermons? Charles Lamb queens reading book Milton almost requires a solemn service of music to be played before you enter upon him. But he brings his music, to which who listen had need bring docile thoughts and purged ears. Charles Lamb reading ears needs I cannot sit and think; books think for me. Charles Lamb reading book thinking Rags, which are the reproach of poverty, are the beggar's robes, and graceful insignia of his profession, his tenure, his full dress, the suit in which he is expected to show himself in public. Charles Lamb rags poverty dresses An album is a garden, not for show Charles Lamb albums garden use I allow no hot-beds in the gardens of Parnassus. Charles Lamb simplicity garden poetry Surely it is a matter of joy, that your faith in Jesus has been preserved; the Comforter that should relieve you is not far from you. But as you are a Christian, in the name of that Saviour, who was filled with bitterness and made druken with wormwood, I conjre you to have recourse in frequent prayer to 'his God and your God,' the God of mercies, and father of all comfort. Your poor father is, I hope, almost senseless of the calamity; the unconscious instrument of Divine Providence knows it not, and your mother is in heaven. Charles Lamb christian mother jesus Not childhood alone, but the young man till thirty, never feels practically that he is mortal. Charles Lamb fragility childhood men Oh call it by some better name, For friendship sounds too cold. Charles Lamb names sound friendship The cheerful Sabbath bells, wherever heard, Strike pleasant on the sense, most like the voice Of one, who from the far-off hills proclaims Tidings of good to Zion. Charles Lamb zion cheerful voice A poor relation—is the most irrelevant thing in nature. Charles Lamb irrelevance family poor Cultivate simplicity or rather should I say banish elaborateness, for simplicity springs spontaneous from the heart. Charles Lamb simplicity heart spring Antiquity! thou wondrous charm, what art thou? that being nothing art everything? When thou wert, thou wert not antiquity - then thou wert nothing, but hadst a remoter antiquity, as thou calledst it, to look back to with blind veneration; thou thyself being to thyself flat, jejune, modern! What mystery lurks in this retroversion? or what half Januses are we, that cannot look forward with the same idolatry with which we for ever revert! The mighty future is as nothing, being everything! the past is everything, being nothing! Charles Lamb looks past art Oh stay! oh stay! Joy so seldom weaves a chain Like this to-night, that oh 't is pain To break its links so soon. Charles Lamb pain joy night To sigh, yet feel no pain; To weep, yet scarce know why; To sport an hour with Beauty's chain, Then throw it idly by. Charles Lamb pain beauty sports I could never hate anyone I knew. Charles Lamb hate The red-letter days, now become, to all intents and purposes, dead-letter days. Charles Lamb festivals purpose letters Alas! how light a cause may move Dissension between hearts that love! Hearts that the world in vain had tried, And sorrow but more closely tied; That stood the storm when waves were rough, Yet in a sunny hour fall off, Like ships that have gone down at sea When heaven was all tranquillity. Charles Lamb love fall moving
