Nature’s great masterpiece, an elephant; the only harmless great thing.
JOHN DONNE
JOHN DONNE
John Donne on greatness
John Donne86 quotes“Nature’s great masterpiece, an elephant; the only harmless great thing.”
More from John Donne
If we consider eternity, into that time never entered; eternity is not an everlasting flux of time, but time is as a short parenthesis in a long period; and eternity had been the same as it is, though time had never been.
John DonneJohn Donne Doth not a man die even in his birth? The breaking of prison is death, and what is our birth, but a breaking of prison?
John DonneJohn Donne For God’s sake hold your tongue, and let me love.
John DonneJohn Donne As soon as there was two there was pride.
John DonneJohn Donne Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
John DonneJohn Donne What if this present were the world’s last night?
John DonneJohn Donne Only our love hath no decay; this, no tomorrow hath, nor yesterday, running it never runs from us away, but truly keeps his first, last, everlasting day.
John DonneJohn Donne Thy face is mine eye, and mine is thine.
John DonneJohn Donne I am a little world made cunningly.
John DonneJohn Donne Festive alcohol sometimes leads to an excess of honesty.
John DonneJohn Donne Love, all alike, no season knows, nor clime, nor hours, days, months, which are the rags of time.
John DonneJohn Donne Keep us, Lord, so awake in the duties of our calling that we may sleep in thy peace and wake in thy glory.
John DonneJohn Donne Batter my heart, three-personed God, for you As yet but knock; breathe, shine, and seek to mend; That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
John DonneJohn Donne Love was as subtly caught, as a disease; But being got it is a treasure sweet, which to defend is harder than to get: And ought not be profaned on either part, for though ‘Tis got by chance, ‘Tis kept by art.
John DonneJohn Donne And what is so intricate, so entangling as death? Who ever got out of a winding sheet?
John DonneJohn Donne So in a voice, so in a shapeless flame, Angels affect us often.
John DonneJohn Donne
Original quotes
From our community writers
I’ve grown tired of playing the warrior In the battle between me And my demons.
J.S BrownJ.S Brown No matter how many storms pass through it, this heart is still a gentle thing.
Sabina LauraSabina Laura If you want to start something great, you need commitment. But if you want to finish that something great, you need consistency.
Alison ButcherAlison Butcher Abundance is my birthright it starts with harvesting my inner light.
Shannon Van AlstShannon Van Alst I believed in the magic we made, but you were the magician and i was merely your puppet on stage.
Sophie AliaSophie Alia Eternity is vague. Let me fill in the blanks with you.
Addison SchmittAddison Schmitt Action is the key that solves all your problems.
Abel StarcAbel Starc His promises looked so promising that she just ignored the blatant truths.
Krishan PandeyKrishan Pandey
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More on greatness
A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in little things is a great thing.
Hudson TaylorHudson Taylor To be loved to madness–such was her great desire. Love was to her the one cordial which could drive away the eating loneliness of her days. And she seemed to long for the abstraction called passionate love more than for any particular lover.
Thomas HardyThomas Hardy My mother is a great source of advice and wisdom and consolation for me.
Katherine HeiglKatherine Heigl The greatest need in the world is the transformation of human nature. We need a new heart that will not have lust and greed and hate in it. We need a heart filled with love and peace and joy, and that is why Jesus came into the world.
Billy GrahamBilly Graham Investing is where you find a few great companies and then sit on your ass.
Charlie MungerCharlie Munger Every life is worthy and every life is capable of greatness. We have an obligation to make sure that opportunity for greatness is there.
Condoleezza RiceCondoleezza Rice I don’t know what it feels like not to have a great family support system – I was lucky to have that.
Rita OraRita Ora And perhaps the greatest peace of art is in the brush stroke of our suffering.
Ullie KayeUllie Kaye
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