98+ Thomas Gray Quotes On Education, Slavery And Beauty

Thomas Gray was an English poet from the 18th century. He is most well-known for his poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" which was published in 1751. He was also a classical scholar and wrote many other poems, odes, and letters during his lifetime. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Thomas Gray on education, slavery, love.

Top 10 Thomas Gray Quotes

1. 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.
2. I shall be but a shrimp of an author.
3. Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms.
4. Fair laughs the morn, and soft the zephyr blows, While proudly rising o'er the azure realm In gallant trim the gilded vessel goes, Youth on the prow, and Pleasure at the helm.
5. Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.
6. Dear as the light that visits these sad eyes, Dear as the ruddy drops that warm my heart.
7. Visions of glory, spare my aching sight! Ye unborn ages, crowd not on my soul!
8. If the best man's faults were written on his forehead, he would draw his hat over his eyes.
9. To each his suff'rings: all are men, / Condemn'd alike to groan, / The tender for another's pain; / Th' unfeeling for his own.
10. Not all that tempts your wandering eyes And heedless hearts, is lawful prize; Nor all that glisters gold.

Thomas Gray Short Quotes

• Hell is full of good intentions.
• The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
• A fav'rite has no friend!
• Rich with the spoils of time.
• Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife.
• As to posterity, I may ask what has it ever done to oblige me?
• Full many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear.
• Too poor for a bribe, and too proud to importune, he had not the method of making a fortune.
• The still small voice of gratitude.
• A favorite has no friend!

Thomas Gray Quotes About Wise

Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise. — Thomas Gray

Yet ah! why should they know their fate?Since sorrow never comes too late,And happiness too swiftly flies.Thought would destroy their paradise.No more; where ignorance is bliss,'Tis folly to be wise. — Thomas Gray

'Tis folly to be wise. — Thomas Gray

When love could teach a monarch to be wise, And gospel-light first dawn'd from Bullen's eyes. — Thomas Gray

Thomas Gray Quotes About Ills

Alas, regardless of their doom,the little victims play!No sense have they of ills to come,Nor care beyond to-day. — Thomas Gray

Alas, regardless of their doom, the little victims play! No sense have they of ills to come, nor care beyond today. — Thomas Gray

Man's feeble race what ills await! Labour, and Penury, the racks of Pain, Disease, and Sorrow's weeping train, And Death, sad refuge from the storms of Fate! — Thomas Gray

Thomas Gray Famous Quotes And Sayings

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

To each his suff'rings; all are men, Condemn'd alike to groan,- The tender for another's pain, Th' unfeeling for his own. Yet ah! why should they know their fate, Since sorrow never comes too late, And happiness too swiftly flies? Thought would destroy their paradise. No more; where ignorance is bliss, 'T is folly to be wise. — Thomas Gray

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

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

Some village Hampden, that with dauntless breast The little tyrant of his fields withstood, Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest, Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood. — Thomas Gray

Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere, Heaven did a recompense as largely send: He gave to mis'ry (all he had) a tear, He gained from Heav'n ('t was all he wish'd) a friend. — Thomas Gray

Behind the steps that Misery treads Approaching Comfort view: The hues of bliss more brightly glow Chastised by sabler tints of woe, And blended form, with artful strife, The strength and harmony of life. — Thomas Gray

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

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

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

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

Here rests his head upon the lap of earth, A youth to fortune and to fame unknown: Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth, And Melancholy mark'd him for her own. — Thomas Gray

To Contemplation's sober eye. / Such is the race of Man. — Thomas Gray

The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow'r, And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, Awaits alike th' inevitable hour. The paths of glory lead but to the grave. — Thomas Gray

The Attic warbler pours her throat, Responsive to the cuckoo's note, The untaught harmony of spring. — Thomas Gray

Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray; Along the cool sequester'd vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way. — Thomas Gray

The insect-youth are on the wing, Eager to taste the honied spring, And float amid the liquid noon! — Thomas Gray

To contemplation's sober eye, Such is the race of man; And they that creep, and they that fly, Shall end where they began, Alike the busy and the gay, But flutter through life's little day. — Thomas Gray

Some bold adventurers disdain The limits of their little reign, And unknown regions date descry. — Thomas Gray

Her track, where'er the goddess roves, Glory pursue, and gen'rous shame, Th' unconquerable mind, and freedom's holy flame. — Thomas Gray

To brisk notes in cadence beating, glance their many-twinkling feet. — Thomas Gray

Ye towers of Julius, London's lasting shame, With many a foul and midnight murder fed. — Thomas Gray

Where once my careless childhood strayed, / A stranger yet to pain. — Thomas Gray

The meanest flowret of the vale, / The simplest note that swells the gale, / The common sun, the air, and skies, / To him are opening paradise. — Thomas Gray

For who, to dumb forgetfulness a prey, This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd, Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day, Nor cast one longing ling'ring look behind? — Thomas Gray

No further seek his merits to disclose, Or draw his frailties from their dread abode (There they alike in trembling hope repose), The bosom of his Father and his God. — Thomas Gray

Daughter of Jove, relentless power, Thou tamer of the human breast, Whose iron scourge and tort'ring hour The bad affright, afflict the best! — Thomas Gray

Scatter plenty o'er a smiling land. — Thomas Gray

From Helicon's harmonious springs A thousand rills their mazy progress take. — Thomas Gray

Where'er the oak's thick branches stretch A broader browner shade; Where'er the rude and moss-grown beech O'er-canopies the glade, Beside some water's rushy brink With me the Muse shall sit, and think. — Thomas Gray

But knowledge to their eyes her ample page Rich with the spoils of time did ne'er unroll; Chill Penury repressed their noble rage, And froze the genial current of the soul. — Thomas Gray

The hues of bliss more brightly glow, Chastis'd by sabler tints of woe. — Thomas Gray

Chill penury repress'd their noble rage, And froze the genial current of the soul. — Thomas Gray

He pass'd the flaming bounds of place and time: The living throne, the sapphire blaze, Where angels tremble while they gaze, He saw; but blasted with excess of light, Closed his eyes in endless night. — Thomas Gray

And moody madness laughing wild Amid severest woe. — Thomas Gray

Visions of glory, spare my aching sight. — Thomas Gray

And truth severe, by fairy fiction drest. — Thomas Gray

The applause of list'ning senates to command, The threats of pain and ruin to despise, To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land, And read their history in a nation's eyes. — Thomas Gray

E'en from the tomb the voice of nature cries, E'en in our ashes live their wonted fires. — Thomas Gray

Ah, tell them they are men! — Thomas Gray

England, so long mistress of the sea, Where winds and waves confess her sovereignty, Her ancient triumphs yet on high shall bear And reign the sovereign of the conquered air. — Thomas Gray

T'was Spring, t'was Summer, all was gay Now Autumn bears a cloud brow The flowers of Spring are swept way And Summer fruits desert the bough — Thomas Gray

We frolic while 'tis May. — Thomas Gray

There are certain scenes that would awe an atheist into belief, without the help of other argument. — Thomas Gray

Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust, or flattery soothe the dull, cold ear of death? — Thomas Gray

Commerce changes the fate and genius of nations. — Thomas Gray

Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed, Less pleasing when possest; The tear forgot as soon as shed, The sunshine of the breast. — Thomas Gray

Thought would destroy their paradise. — Thomas Gray

They hear a voice in every wind, And snatch a fearful joy. — Thomas Gray

And hie him home, at evening's close, To sweet repast and calm repose. — Thomas Gray

Low on his funeral couch he lies! — Thomas Gray

Beyond the limits of a vulgar fate, Beneath the good how far,-but far above the great. — Thomas Gray

One principal characteristic of vice in the present age is the contempt of fame. — Thomas Gray

Hands that the rod of empire might have sway'd, Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre. — Thomas Gray

Now as the Paradisiacal pleasures of the Mahometans consist in playing upon the flute and lying with Houris, be mine to read eternal new romances of Marivaux and Crebillon. — Thomas Gray

Each in his narrow cell for ever laid, the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. — Thomas Gray

Men will believe anything at all provided they are under no obligation to believe it. — Thomas Gray

And weep the more, because I weep in vain. — Thomas Gray

Far from the madding crowd — Thomas Gray

O'er her warm cheek, and rising bosom, move The bloom of young Desire and purple light of love. — Thomas Gray

How low, how little are the proud, How indigent the great! — Thomas Gray

In buskined measures move Pale Grief and pleasing Pain, With Horror, tyrant of the throbbing breast. — Thomas Gray

Ah, happy hills! ah, pleasing shade! Ah, fields beloved in vain! Where once my careless childhood stray'd, A stranger yet to pain! I feel the gales that from ye blow A momentary bliss bestow. — Thomas Gray

Sweet is the breath of vernal shower,/ The bee's collected treasure sweet,/ Sweet music's melting fall, but sweeter yet/ The still small voice of gratitude. — Thomas Gray

The language of the age is never the language of poetry, except among the French, whose verse, where the thought or image does not support it, differs in nothing from prose. — Thomas Gray

Implores the passing tribute of a sigh. — Thomas Gray

The time will come, when thou shalt lift thine eyes To watch a long-drawn battle in the skies. While aged peasants, too amazed for words, Stare at the flying fleets of wondrous birds. — Thomas Gray

Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile The short and simple annals of the poor. — Thomas Gray

Along the cool sequestered vale of life, They kept the noiseless tenour of their way. — Thomas Gray

Sorrow's faded form, and solitude behind. — Thomas Gray

What female heart can gold despise? What cat 's averse to fish? — Thomas Gray

Life Lessons by Thomas Gray

1. Thomas Gray's poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" teaches us to appreciate the beauty of life and to remember those who have passed on.
2. His poem "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College" encourages us to appreciate the simple pleasures of life and to strive for a better future.
3. His poem "The Bard" encourages us to be brave and to stand up for our beliefs, no matter what the cost.