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William Julius Mickle Quotes

1734–1788 Scotland

William Julius Mickle (29 September 1734 – 28 October 1788) was a Scottish poet.

Scotland
Poets
Translators

Also known as: Mickle, W. J. Mickle

Random William Julius Mickle quote

15 quotes

When nature's happiest touch could add no more,
Heaven lent an angel's beauty to her face.

None but a poet can translate a poet.

The Lusiad; Or, The Discovery of India: an Epic Poem (1776)

The best of parents blest my younger days;
What others teach with frowns, they taught with praise.

For there's nae luck about the house,
There's nae luck at a';
There's little pleasure in the house
When our gudeman's awa'.

The Mariner's Wife (1769)

The present moment is our ain,
The neist we never saw!

The Mariner's Wife (1769)

But are ye sure the news is true—
And are ye sure he's weel?
Is this a time to think o' wark?—
Ye jades, fling by your wheel!

The Mariner's Wife (1769)

Knowledge or wealth to few are given,
But mark how just the ways of Heaven:
True joy to all is free.
Nor wealth nor knowledge grant the boon:
'Tis thine, O conscience, thine alone,
It all belongs to thee.

Knowledge: an Ode (1761)

Sae true his heart, sae smooth his speech,
His breath like caller air,
His very foot has music in 't,
As he comes up the stair.

The dews of summer night did fall;
The moon, sweet regent of the sky,
Silvered the walls of Cumnor Hall
And many an oak that grew thereby.

Cumnor Hall (1784)

The death-bell thrice was heard to ring,
An aerial voice was heard to call,
And thrice the raven flapp'd its wing
Around the towers of Cumnor Hall.

Cumnor Hall (1784)

Dull as a twice-told tale.

A Night Piece (1761)

And ere the dawn of day appear'd,
In Cumnor Hall, so lone and drear,
Full many a piercing scream was heard,
And many a cry of mortal fear.

Cumnor Hall (1784)

Sae true's his words, sae smooth's his speech,
His breath like caller air,
His very foot has music in't
As he comes up the stairs:
And will I see his face again!
And will I hear him speak!

The Mariner's Wife (1769)

It was not to gratify the dull few, whose greatest pleasure in reading a translation is to see what the author exactly says; it was to give a poem that might live in the English language which was the ambition of the Translator. ... And the original is in the hands of the world.

For there's nae luck about the house;
There's nae luck at aw;
There's little pleasure in the house
When our gudeman's awa.

Attributed

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: William Julius Mickle (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.