John Bartlett (18201905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
(continued) Elizabeth Barrett Browning. (18061861) 6653
Dreams of doing good For good-for-nothing people.
Aurora Leigh. Book ii. 6654
God answers sharp and sudden on some prayers, And thrusts the thing we have prayed for in our face, A gauntlet with a gift in it.
Aurora Leigh. Book ii. 6655
The beautiful seems right By force of Beauty, and the feeble wrong Because of weakness.
Aurora Leigh. Book ii. 6656
Every wish Is like a prayerwith God. 1
Aurora Leigh. Book ii. 6657
Good critics, who have stamped out poets hope, Good statesmen, who pulled ruin on the state, Good patriots, who for a theory risked a cause.
Aurora Leigh. Book iv. 6658
Whoso loves Believes the impossible.
Aurora Leigh. Book v. 6659
The growing drama has outgrown such toys Of simulated stature, face, and speech: It also peradventure may outgrow The simulation of the painted scene, Boards, actors, prompters, gaslight, and costume, And take for a worthier stage the soul itself, Its shifting fancies and celestial lights, With all its grand orchestral silences To keep the pauses of its rhythmic sounds.
Aurora Leigh. Book v. 6660
Since when was genius found respectable?
Aurora Leigh. Book vi. 6661
Earths crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; 2 And only he who sees takes off his shoes; The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.
Aurora Leigh. Book vii.
Note 1. See Montgomery, page 497. Prayer is the souls sincere desire. [ back]
Note 2. Whittier: Chapel of the Hermits. [ back]