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.
generations enthusiasm abiding
Enthusiasm begets enthusiasm, eloquence produces conviction for the moment; but it is only by truth to Nature and the everlasting institutions of mankind that those abiding influences are won that enlarge from generation to generation.
society rotten ripe
The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change.
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.
generations sap literature
Literature, properly so called, draws its sap from the deep soil of human nature's common and everlasting sympathies, the gathered leaf-mound of countless generations, and not from any top dressing capriciously scattered over the surface.
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.
mud soil
No mud can soil us but the mud we throw.
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.
reputation
O reputation! dearer far than life.
caprice idleness
Idleness induces caprice.
mothers-day mom motherhood
That best academy, a mother's knee.