Quotes from Martin Farquhar Tupper

Knowledge is leagued with the universe, and findeth a friend in all things; but ignorance is everywhere a stranger, unwelcome; ill at ease and out of place.

Life is as the current spark on the miner's wheel of flints; While it spinneth, there is light; stop it, all is darkness.

Alike to the slave and his oppressor cometh night with sweet refreshment, and half of the life of the most wretched is gladdened by the soothings of sleep.

Not few nor light are the burdens of life; then load it not with heaviness of spirit.

There is a limit to enjoyment, though the sources of wealth be boundlessAnd the choicest pleasures of life lie within the ring of moderation.

For life, good youth, hath never an illWhich hope cannot scatter, and faith cannot kill;And stubborn realities never shall bindThe free-spreading wings of a cheerful mind.

Our cares are all To-day, our joys are all To-day; And in one little word, our life, what is it but--To-day?

The sun of the mind, and the life of the heart is Wisdom. She is pure and full of light, crowning grey hairs with lustre, And kindling the eye of youth with a fire not its own.

If thou art master to thyself, circumstances shall harm thee little.

He who does not tire, tires adversity.

God, from a beautiful necessity, is Love.

Love, a brilliant fire, to gladden or consume.

Spurn not a seeming error, but dig below its surface for the truth.

How beautiful is modesty! It winneth upon all beholders; but a word or a glance may destroy the pure love that should have been for thee.

Love with life is heaven; and life, unloving, hell.

Love looketh from the eye, and kindleth love by looking.

Wealth oft-times killeth, where want but hindered the budding.

Search out the wisdom of nature, there is depth in all her doings; she seemeth prodigal of power, yet her rules are the maxims of frugality.

Memory is not wisdom; idiots can by rote repeat volumes. Yet what is wisdom without memory?

Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.

Travel is a ceaseless fount of surface education, But its wisdom will be simply superficial, if thou add not thoughts to things.

Take the good with the evil, for ye all are pensioners of God, and none may choose or refuse the cup His wisdom mixeth.

Contend not in wisdom with a fool, for thy sense maketh much of his conceit; And some errors never would have thriven, had it not been for learned refutation.

Men scanning the surface count the wicked happy; they see not the frightful dreams that crowd a bad man's pillow.