Whyle I was abowte to chaunge myn olde lyff-- Petrarch More Quotes by Petrarch More Quotes From Petrarch Love is the crowning grace of humanity, the holiest right of the soul, the golden link which binds us to duty and truth, the redeeming principle that chiefly reconciles the heart to life, and is prophetic of eternal good. Petrarch heart love life Love is the crowning grace of humanity. Petrarch grace humanity love-is Perhaps out there, somewhere, someone is sighing for your absence; and with this thought, my soul begins to breathe. Petrarch breathe soul absence And men go about to wonder at the heights of the mountains, and the mighty waves of the sea, and the wide sweep of rivers, and the circuit of the ocean, and the revolution of the stars, but themselves they consider not. Petrarch ocean stars men Five enemies of peace inhabit with us - avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace. Petrarch forgiveness anger peace You keep to your own ways and leave mine to me. Petrarch mines way For though I am a body of this earth, my firm desire is born from the stars. Petrarch stars body desire It may be only glory that we seek here, but I persuade myself that, as long as we remain here, that is right. Another glory awaits us in heaven and he who reaches there will not wish even to think of earthly fame. Petrarch heaven long thinking Books can warm the heart with friendly words and counsel, entering into a close relationship with us which is articulate and alive Petrarch heart friendly book Gold, silver, jewels, purple garments, houses built of marble, groomed estates, pious paintings, caparisoned steeds, and other things of this kind offer a mutable and superficial pleasure; books give delight to the very marrow of one's bones. They speak to us, consult with us, and join with us in a living and intense intimacy. Petrarch purple jewels book Death is a sleep that ends our dreaming. Oh, that we may be allowed to wake before death wakes us. Petrarch dream sleep may It is better to will the good than to know the truth. Petrarch knows Man has not a greater enemy than himself. Petrarch greater men enemy Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together. Petrarch house beautiful beauty Virtue is health, vice is sickness. Petrarch sickness virtue vices Each famous author of antiquity whom I recover places a new offence and another cause of dishonor to the charge of earlier generations, who, not satisfied with their own disgraceful barrenness, permitted the fruit of other minds, and the writings that their ancestors had produced by toil and application, to perish through insufferable neglect. Although they had nothing of their own to hand down to those who were to come after, they robbed posterity of its ancestral heritage. Petrarch mind writing hands Where you are is of no moment, but only what you are doing there. It is not the place that ennobles you, but you the place, and this only by doing that which is great and noble. Petrarch where-you-are noble moments All pleasure in the world is a passing dream. Petrarch pleasure dream world I would have preferred to have been born in any other time than our own. Petrarch has-beens born I freeze and burn, love is bitter and sweet, my sighs are tempests and my tears are floods, I am in ecstasy and agony, I am possessed by memories of her and I am in exile from myself. Petrarch love-is sweet memories
