Browse Sermon Illustrations
2,202 illustrations available
Lines Addressed by Lord Byron to Mr. Hobhouse on His Election for Westminster
WOULD you go to the house by the true gate, Much faster than ever Whig Charley went; Let Parliament send you to Newgate, And Newgate will send you to Parliament.
Epigram. From the French of RulhièRes
IF for silver, or for gold, You could melt ten thousand pimples Into half a dozen dimples, Then your face we might behold, Looking, doubtless, much more snugly, Yet even _then_ 'twould be damn
Lines in the Travellers' Book at Orchomenus
IN THIS BOOK A TRAVELLER HAD WRITTEN:-- "Fair Albion, smiling, sees her son depart To trace the birth and nursery of art: Noble his object, glorious is his aim; He comes to Athens, and he--writes his
Epitaph
POSTERITY will ne'er survey A nobler grave than this; Here lie the bones of Castlereagh: Stop traveller, * *
Epigram
IN digging up your bones, Tom Paine, Will. Cobbett has done well: You visit him on Earth again, He'll visit you in Hell. You come to him on Earth again He'll go with you to Hell!
On the Death of the Duke of Dorset
I heard thy fate without a tear, Thy loss with scarce a sigh; And yet thou wast surpassing dear, Too loved of all to die. I know not what hath seared my eye-- Its tears refuse to start; But ever
To Mary Shelley
The world is dreary, And I am weary Of wandering on without thee, Mary; A joy was erewhile In thy voice and thy smile, And 'tis gone, when I should be gone too, Mary.
To Stella
FROM THE GREEK OF PLATO. Thou wert the morning star among the living, Ere thy fair light had fled;-- Now, having died, thou art as Hesperus, giving New splendour to the dead.
Imitation of Tibullus. Sulpicia AD Cerinthum (Lib. Quart.)
Cruel Cerinthus! does the fell disease Which racks my breast your fickle bosom please? Alas! I wish'd but to o'ercome the pain, That I might live for Love and you again; But, now, I scarcely shall bew
To Emilia Viviani
Madonna, wherefore hast thou sent to me Sweet-basil and mignonette? Embleming love and health, which never yet In the same wreath might be. Alas, and they are wet! Is it with thy kisses or thy tears?
Fragment. Written Shortly After the Marriage of Miss Chaworth
Hills of Annesley, Bleak and Barren, Where my thoughtless Childhood stray'd, How the northern Tempests, warring, Howl above thy tufted Shade! Now no more, the Hours beguiling, Former favourite H
Lucietta. a Fragment
LUCIETTA, my deary, That fairest of faces! Is made up of kisses; But, in love, oft the case is Even stranger than this is-- There's another, that's slyer, Who touches me nigher,-- A Witch, an intrigue
Angels, in the early morning
Angels, in the early morning May be seen the Dews among, Stooping -- plucking -- smiling -- flying -- Do the Buds to them belong? Angels, when the sun is hottest May be seen the sands among, Stooping
My Star
All that I know Of a certain star Is, it can throw (Like the angled spar) Now a dart of red, Now a dart of blue; Till my friends have said They would fain see, too, My star that dartles the re
Epitaph. on Dr Francis Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester, Who Died in Exile at Paris, 1732.
SHE. Yes, we have lived--one pang, and then we part! May Heaven, dear father! now have all thy heart. Yet ah! how once we loved, remember still, Till you are dust like me. HE.
We pray -- to Heaven
We pray -- to Heaven -- We prate -- of Heaven -- Relate -- when Neighbors die -- At what o'clock to heaven -- they fled -- Who saw them -- Wherefore fly? Is Heaven a Place -- a Sky -- a Tree? Locatio
To lose one's faith -- surpass
To lose one's faith -- surpass The loss of an Estate -- Because Estates can be Replenished -- faith cannot -- Inherited with Life -- Belief -- but once -- can be -- Annihilate a single clause -- And
Somewhat, to hope for,
Somewhat, to hope for, Be it ne'er so far Is Capital against Despair -- Somewhat, to suffer, Be it ne'er so keen -- If terminable, may be borne.
Forbidden Fruit A Flavor Has
Forbidden fruit a flavor has That lawful orchards mocks; How luscious lies the pea within The pod that Duty locks!
Spring comes on the World --
Spring comes on the World -- I sight the Aprils -- Hueless to me until thou come As, till the Bee Blossoms stand negative, Touched to Conditions By a Hum.
To E--
Let Folly smile, to view the names Of thee and me, in Friendship twin'd; Yet Virtue will have greater claims To love, than rank with vice combin'd. And though unequal is _thy_ fate, Since title
The Fly
Little Fly, Thy summer's play My thoughtless hand Has brushed away. Am not I A fly like thee? Or art not thou A man like me? For I dance And drink, and sing, Till some blind hand Shall brush my wing
Martial, Lib. I. Epig. I
"Hic est, quem legis, ille, quem requiris, Toto notus in orbe Martialis," etc. HE, unto whom thou art so partial, Oh, reader! is the well-known Martial, The Epigrammatist: while living, Give him the
A POISON TREE
I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I watered it in fears Night and morning with my tears, And I sunned it wi