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James Russell Lowell Quotes

1819–1891 United States

James Russell Lowell (22 February 1819 – 12 August 1891) was an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat. He is associated with the Fireside Poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets who rivaled the popularity of British poets.

United States
19th-century poets
Critics
Editors
Essayists

Also known as: Lowell, James Russell

Random James Russell Lowell quote

223 quotes

The little that we do
Is but half-nobly true;
With our laborious hiving
What men call treasure, and the gods call dross,
Life seems a jest of Fate's contriving,
Only secure in every one's conniving,
A long account of nothings paid with loss.

Ode Recited at the Harvard Commemoration (1865)

Their problem was how to adapt English principles and precedents to the new conditions of American life, and they solved it with singular discretion. They put as many obstacles as they could contrive, not in the way of the people's will, but of their whim.

On Democracy (1884)

He seemed a cherub who had lost his way
And wandered hither, so his stay
With us was short, and 'twas most meet,
That he should be no delver in earth's clod,
Nor need to pause and cleanse his feet
To stand before his God:
O blest word—Evermore!

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: James Russell Lowell (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.