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George Herbert Quotes
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George Herbert was a Welsh-born poet, orator and Anglican priest. Herbert's poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognised as "one of the foremost British devotional lyricists." Born into an artistic and wealthy family, Herbert was largely raised in England and received there a good education that led to his admission in 1609 as a student at Trinity College, Cambridge. He went there at first with the intention of becoming a priest, but when eventually he became the University's Public Orator he attracted the attention of King James I. In 1624 and briefly in 1625 he served in the Parliament of England. After the death of King James, Herbert's interest in ordination renewed. In his mid-thirties he gave up his secular ambitions and took holy orders in the Church of England, spending the rest of his life as the rector of the little parish of St Andrews Church, Lower Bemerton, Salisbury. He was noted for unfailing care for his parishioners, bringing the sacraments to them when they were ill, and providing food and clothing for those in need. Henry Vaughan called him "a most glorious saint and seer". Never a healthy man, he died of consumption at the early age of 39.



✵ 3. April 1593 – 1. March 1633
George Herbert photo
George Herbert: 216 quotes7 likes

George Herbert Quotes

“440. Fly the pleasure that bites to-morrow.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“[ Hee that makes himself a sheep shall be eat by the wolfe. ]”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“678. More have repented speech then silence.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“[ Old men go to death; death comes to young men. ]”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“Be calm in arguing: for fierceness makes
Error a fault, and truth discourtesy.”

George Herbert

The Temple (1633), The Church Porch

“[ Silke doth quench the fire in the kitchin. ]”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“475. Fine words dresse ill deedes.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“Man is one world, and hath
Another to attend him.”

George Herbert

Man, reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“86. He that lives well is learned enough.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“465. In the kingdome of blind men the one-ey'd is king.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“942. Every mile is two in winter.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“123. To a boyling pot flies come not.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“[ There is a remedy for everything, could men find it. ]”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“To a close-shorn sheep God gives wind by measure.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“583. Thursday come and the week's gone.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“296. The child saies nothing but what it heard by the fire.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“158. The eye and religion can beare no jesting.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“61. Ill ware is never cheape.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“375. All things have their place, knew wee how to place them.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“[ When war begins then hell openeth. ]”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“[ Some had rather lose their friend then their jest. ]”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“89. All truths are not to be told.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“77. When a dog is a-drowning every one offers him drink.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“213. Send a wise man on an errand, and say nothing unto him.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“574. A feather in hand is better then a bird in the ayre.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“Wit's an unruly engine, wildly striking
Sometimes a friend, sometimes the engineer.”

George Herbert

The Temple (1633), The Church Porch

“My meaning (dear Mother) is in these sonnets, to declare my resolution to be, that my poor abilities in poetry, shall be all and ever consecrated to God's glory.”

George Herbert

Letter to His Mother (1609)

“Chase brave employment with a naked sword
Throughout the world.”

George Herbert

The Temple (1633), The Church Porch

“By no means run in debt: take thine own measure.
Who cannot live on twenty pound a year,
Cannot on forty.”

George Herbert

The Temple (1633), The Church Porch

“830. He thinkes not well that thinkes not againe.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“15. Light burthens long borne growe heavie.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“1010. An oath that is not to bee made is not to be kept.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“971. Hee that learnes a trade hath a purchase made.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“322. Although the sun shine, leave not thy cloake at home.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“422. He that hath love in his brest hath spurres in his sides.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“759. Give not S. Peter so much, to leave Saint Paul nothing.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“13. The scalded dog feares cold water.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“449. Trust not one night's ice.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“166. Of all smells, bread; of all tasts, salt.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“744. Every one thinkes his sacke heaviest.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“153. The mill cannot grind with water that's past.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“317. Be not a baker if your head be of butter.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“345. He that is not handsome at twenty, nor strong at thirty, nor rich at forty, nor wise at fifty, will never bee handsome, strong, rich, or wise.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“601. The fatt man knoweth not what the leane thinketh.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“891. Hee hath no leisure who useth it not.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“753. By doing nothing we learne to do ill.”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“[ An old dog barks not in vain. ]”

George Herbert

Jacula Prudentum (1651)