The different steps and degrees of education may be compared to the artificer's operations upon marble; it is one thing to dig it out of the quarry, and another to square it, to give it gloss and lustre, call forth every beautiful spot and vein, shape it into a column, or animate it into a statue.

Thomas Gray

Categorized in : Beautiful Education Squares

Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms... by Thomas Gray

Youth smiles without any reason. It is one of its chiefest charms.

smile youth reason

Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn. by Thomas Gray

Poetry is thoughts that breathe, and words that burn.

poetic breathe poetry

Not all that tempts your wandering eyes by Thomas Gray

Not all that tempts your wandering eyes

eye gold heart

Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise. by Thomas Gray

Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise.

ignorance wise inspirational

Visions of glory, spare my aching sight! Ye unborn ages, crowd no... by Thomas Gray

Visions of glory, spare my aching sight! Ye unborn ages, crowd not on my soul!

vision soul sight

Commerce changes entirely the fate and genius of nations, by communicating arts and opinions, circulating money, and introducing the materials of luxury; she first opens and polishes the mind, then corrupts and enervates both that and the body.

commerce fate genius

What female heart can gold despise? What cat 's averse to fish? by Thomas Gray

What female heart can gold despise? What cat 's averse to fish?

cat gold heart

They hear a voice in every wind, And snatch a fearful joy. by Thomas Gray

They hear a voice in every wind, And snatch a fearful joy.

voice joy wind

Men will believe anything at all provided they are under no oblig... by Thomas Gray

Men will believe anything at all provided they are under no obligation to believe it.

belief men believe

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea, The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

tolls darkness wind

From toil he wins his spirits light, From busy day the peaceful night; Rich, from the very want of wealth, In heaven's best treasures, peace and health.

winning night peace

Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

ocean flower dark

The paths of glory lead but to the grave. by Thomas Gray

The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

graves glory path

Hell is full of good intentions. by Thomas Gray

Hell is full of good intentions.

good-intentions intention hell

In the evening, I walked alone down to the Lake by the side of Crow Park after sunset and saw the solemn coloring of night draw on, the last gleam of sunshine fading away on the hilltops, the seep serene of the asters, and the long shadows of the mountains thrown across them, till they nearly touched the hithermost shore. At distance hear the murmur of many waterfalls not audible in the day-time. Wished for the moon, but she was dark to me and silent, hid in her vacant interlunar cave.

sunset distance dark

A fav'rite has no friend! by Thomas Gray

A fav'rite has no friend!

rite no-friends friendship

Can storied urn, or animated bust Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath? Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust, Or Flatt'ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?

fleeting voice dust

Ruin seize thee, ruthless king! Confusion on thy banners wait! Though fann'd by Conquest's crimson wing, They mock the air with idle state.

kings air wings

Any fool may write a most valuable book by chance, if he will only tell us what he heard and saw with veracity.

fool writing book

As to posterity, I may ask what has it ever done to oblige me? by Thomas Gray

As to posterity, I may ask what has it ever done to oblige me?

asks done may