Oracles from the Poets: A Fanciful Diversion for the Drawing Room
General
Oracles from the Poets: A Fanciful Diversion for the Drawing Room
Amusements; Fortune-telling; Quotations, English
35. She sways her house, commands her followers,
Takes and gives back affairs and their despatch,
With a most smooth, discreet, and stable bearing.
_Twelfth Night._
36. Spring hath no blossom fairer than her form,
Winter no snow-wreath purer than her mind.
The dew-drop trembling to the summer sun
Is like her smile; bright, transient, heaven-refined.
MRS. PIERSON.
37. She is a lady of confirmed honor, of an unmatchable
spirit, and determinate in all virtuous resolutions;
not hasty to anticipate an affront, nor slow
to feel where just provocation is given.
CHARLES LAMB.
38. Her outward charms are less
Than her winning gentleness;
With maiden purity of heart,
Which, without the aid of art,
Does in coldest hearts inspire
Love.
JAMES ALDRICH.
39. She dwells among us like a star,
That from its bower of bliss
Looks down, yet gathers not a stain
From aught it sees in this.
MRS. WELBY.
40. She in pleasant purpose doth abound,
And greatly joyeth merry tales to feign.
SPENSER.
41. Early and late, at her soul's gate,
Sits Chastity in warder wise;
No thought unchallenged, small or great,
Goes thence into her eyes;
Nor may a low, unworthy thought
Beyond that virgin warder win,
Nor one, whose password is not "ought,"
May go without, or enter in.
J. R. LOWELL.
42. A light, busy foot astir
In her small housewifery, the blithest bee
That ever wrought in hive.
MITFORD.
43. Practised to lisp and hang the head aside,
Faint into airs, and languish into pride.
POPE.
44. She is ever fair, and never proud,
Hath tongue at will, and yet is never loud.
_Othello._
45. I call her richly blest,
In the calm meekness of her woman's breast,
Where that sweet depth of still contentment lies;
And for her household love, which clings
Unto all ancient and familiar things,
Weaving from each some link for home's dear charities.
HEMANS.
46. She's peevish, sullen, froward,
Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty.
_Two Gentlemen of Verona._
47. No simplest duty is forgot;
Life hath no dim and lowly spot
That doth not in her sunshine share.
J. R. LOWELL.
48. Disdain and scorn ride sparkling in her eyes,
Misprizing what they look on;--and her wit
Values itself so highly, that to her
All matter else seems weak.
_Much Ado About Nothing._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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