“Teach him how to live,
And, oh still harder lesson! how to die.”

Source: Death: A Poetical Essay (1759), Line 316. Compare: "There taught us how to live; and (oh, too high
The price for knowledge!) taught us how to die", Thomas Tickell, On the Death of Mr. Addison (1721), line 81.; "He who should teach men to die, would at the same time teach them to live", Michel de Montaigne, Essay, book i. chap. ix.; "I have taught you, my dear flock, for above thirty years how to live; and I will show you in a very short time how to die", Sandys, Anglorum Speculum, p. 903.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Teach him how to live, And, oh still harder lesson! how to die." by Beilby Porteus?
Beilby Porteus photo
Beilby Porteus 5
Bishop of Chester; Bishop of London 1731–1809

Related quotes

George Pope Morris photo

“In teaching me the way to live
It taught me how to die.”

George Pope Morris (1802–1864) American publisher

My Mother's Bible, reported in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919).

Thomas Tickell photo

“There taught us how to live; and (oh! too high
The price for knowledge) taught us how to die.”

Thomas Tickell (1685–1740) English poet and man of letters

On the Death of Mr. Addison (1721), line 81. Compare: "He who should teach men to die, would at the same time teach them to live", Michel de Montaigne, Essay, book i. chap. ix.; "I have taught you, my dear flock, for above thirty years how to live; and I will show you in a very short time how to die", Sandys, Anglorum Speculum, p. 903; "Teach him how to live, And, oh still harder lesson! how to die", Beilby Porteus, Death, line 316; "He taught them how to live and how to die", Somerville, In Memory of the Rev. Mr. Moore.
Context: There patient show'd us the wise course to steer,
A candid censor, and a friend severe;
There taught us how to live; and (oh! too high
The price for knowledge) taught us how to die.

Mitch Albom photo
Dinah Craik photo

“Immortality alone could teach this mortal how to die.”

Dinah Craik (1826–1887) English novelist and poet

"Looking Death in the Face", Miss Mulock's Poems (1866)

Amy Tan photo
Sherman Alexie photo
William Somervile photo

“He taught them how to live and how to die.”

William Somervile (1675–1742) English poet

In Memory of the Rev. Mr. Moore, line 21.

Related topics