James Russell Lowell Quotes

No man can produce great things who is not thoroughly sincere in dealing with himself.

A poet must need be before his own age, to be even with posterity.

Poetry is something to make us wiser and better, by continually revealing those types of beauty and truth, which God has set in all men’s souls.

Poetry is not made out of the understanding. The question of common sense is always, “What is it good for?” A question would abolish a rose, and be triumphantly answered by the cabbage.

Blessed are they who have nothing to say, and who cannot be persuaded to say it.

Whatever you may be sure of, be sure of this, that you are dreadfully like other people.

Now the Fourth of July has several times been alluded to, and I believe it is generally thought that on that anniversary the spirit of a certain bird known to heraldic ornithologists – and I believe to them alone – as the spread eagle, enters into every American’s breast, and compels him, whether he will […]

It would hardly be wise to hold every one an enemy who could not see her (America) with our own enchanted eyes. It seems to be the common opinion of foreigners that Americans are “too” tender upon this point.

That pernicious sentiment, “Our country, right or wrong”

Certainly it is no shame to a man that he should be as nice about his country as his sweetheart,- yet it would not be wise to hold everyone an enemy who could not see her with our own enchanted eyes.