1608-1674, British Poet
'Tis chastity, my brother, chastity. She that has that is clad in complete steel, and like a quivered nymph with arrows keen may trace huge forests and unharbored heaths, infamous hills and sandy perilous wilds, where through the sacred rays of chastity, no savage fierce, bandit, or mountaineer will dare to soil her virgin purity.
John Milton – [Chastity]
A crown, golden in show is but a wreath of thorns.
John Milton – [Leaders and Leadership]
A good book is the precious life-blood of the master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose for a life beyond.
John Milton – [Books and Reading]
A man may be a heretic in the truth; and if he believe things only because his pastor says so, or the assembly so determines, without knowing other reason, though his belief be true, yet the very truth he holds becomes his heresy.
John Milton – [Heresy]
A short retirement urges a sweet return.
John Milton – [Retirement]
Adam inquires concerning celestial motions, is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge.
John Milton – [Astronomy]
And when night, darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.
John Milton – [Alcohol and Alcoholism]
And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.
John Milton – [Revenge]
As good almost kill a man as kill a good book; who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the image of God, as it were in the eye.
John Milton – [Censorship]
Books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a certain potency of life in them, to be as active as the soul whose progeny they are; they preserve, as in a vial, the purest efficacy and extraction of the living intellect that bred them.
John Milton – [Books and Reading]
But he that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts benighted walks under the mid-day sun; Himself is his own dungeon.
John Milton – [Secrets]
Childhood shows the man, as morning shows the day.
John Milton – [Youth]
Come, pensive nun, devout and pure, sober steadfast, and demure, all in a robe of darkest grain, flowing with majestic train.
John Milton – [Nuns]
Death is the golden key that opens the palace of eternity.
John Milton – [Death and Dying]
Deep versed in books and shallow in himself.
John Milton – [Books and Reading]
Fame is no plant that grows on mortal soil.
John Milton – [Fame]
Fear of change perplexes monarchs.
John Milton – [Change]
Few sometimes may know, when thousands err.
John Milton – [Right and Rightness]
For books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay, they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them. I know they are as lively, and as vigorously productive, as those fabulous dragon's teeth; and being sown up and down, may chance to spring up armed men.
John Milton – [Books and Reading]
For neither man nor angel can discern hypocrisy, the only evil that walks invisible, except to God alone.
John Milton – [Hypocrisy]