James Russell Lowell
James Russell Lowell
James Russell Lowellwas an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. He is associated with the Fireside Poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets who rivaled the popularity of British poets. These poets usually used conventional forms and meters in their poetry, making them suitable for families entertaining at their fireside...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth22 February 1819
CountryUnited States of America
James Russell Lowell quotes about
brave literature weak
Fortune is the rod of the weak, and the staff of the brave.
brave simplicity ridiculous
Truth is quite beyond the reach of satire. There is so brave a simplicity in her that she can no more be made ridiculous than an oak or a pine.
sight spirit grows
With every anguish of our earthly part The spirit's sight grows clearer.
tradition eternal-life originals
There is only one thing better than tradition and that is the original and eternal life out of which all tradition takes its rise.
materials
The material of thought re-acts upon the thought itself.
onward-and-upward ancient uncouth
Time makes ancient good uncouth.
speaks-out two age
There are two kinds of genius. The first and highest may be said to speak out of the eternal to the present, and must compel its age to understand it; the second understands its age, and tells it what it wishes to be told.
caprice idleness
Idleness induces caprice.
onward-and-upward duty teach
New occasions teach new duties.
crystals fancy emotion
Sentiment is intellectualized emotion; emotion precipitated, as it were, in pretty crystals by the fancy.
firefly pulse meadows
The fireflies o'er the meadow In pulses come and go.
fudge stealing vain
In vain we call old notions fudge, And bend our conscience to our dealing; The Ten Commandments will not budge, And stealing will continue stealing.