John Byrom

John Byrom (29 February 1692 – 26 September 1763) was an English poet.

Quotes


The world as he'd have it must needs turn about.'
 * Sir, you must be all caution and no fear, and you'll find true what our old friend Archimedes said some while ago.
 * 'If a man do but keep himself sober and stout,
 * Letter to John Stansfield (c. 1717), as quoted in "How to move the World" in The Poems of John Byrom (1894), p. 9

Compared to Handel's a mere ninny; Others aver, to him, that Handel Is scarcely fit to hold a candle. '''Strange! that such high dispute should be 'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee.''' That Mynheer Handel 's but a ninny; Others aver that he to Handel Is scarcely fit to hold a candle. Strange all this difference should be 'Twixt Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
 * Some say, that Signor Bononcini,
 * "Epigram on the Feuds between Handel and Bononcini" in The London Journal (5 June 1725)
 * Alternately reported as:
 * Some say, compar'd to Bononcini,
 * Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919). Bartlett's further reports Byrom having said "Nourse asked me if I had seen the verses upon Handel and Bononcini, not knowing that they were mine", Byrom's Remains (Chetham Soc.), vol. i. p. 173; and states: "The last two lines have also been attributed to Swift and Pope (see Scott's edition of Swift, and Dyce's edition of Pope)".

Whereon the Saviour of mankind was born.
 * Christians, awake! salute the happy morn,
 * A Hymn for Christmas Day (1750)

Will soon fill up their proper places.
 * Take time enough: all other graces
 * Advice to Preach Slow as quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)


 * As clear as a whistle.
 * Epistle to Lloyd I' as quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations'', 10th ed. (1919)


 * The point is plain as a pike-staff.
 * Epistle to a Friend as quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Would starve us all, or near it; But be it known to Skin and Bone That Flesh and Blood can't bear it.
 * Bone and Skin, two millers thin,
 * Epigram on Two Monopolists as quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Shook hands and went to 't; and the word it was bilbow.
 * Thus adorned, the two heroes, 'twixt shoulder and elbow,
 * Upon a Trial of Skill between the Great Masters of the Noble Science of Defence, Messrs. Figg and Sutton as quoted in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

Miscellaneous Poems (1773)


My chaplains meddling with affairs of state'''; Nor would my subjects, I should think, be fond, Whenever theirs the Bible went beyond.
 * '''Were I a king (God bless me) I should hate
 * "On Clergymen Preaching Politics"

Bright passages that strike your mind, And which perhaps you may have reason To think on at another season, Be not contented with the sight, But take them down in black and white; Such a respect is wisely shown That makes another's sense one's own.
 * In reading authors, when you find
 * "A Hint to a young Person, for his better Improvement by Reading or Conversation"

Was Infinitely Powerful, Wise, and Good.''' In their Conceptions, who conceiv'd aright, These Three Essential Attributes unite. They saw that, wanting any of the Three, Such an All-perfect Being could not be.
 * 'Th' Eternal Mind, ev'n Heathens'' understood,
 * The True Grounds Of Eternal And Immutable Rectitude" St. 1

Order and Rule and Rectitude of Things''', Thro' outward Nature, His Apparent Throne, Visibly seen, intelligibly known, — Proofs of a Boundless Pow'r, a Wisdom's Aid, By Goodness us'd, Eternal and Unmade.
 * '''From the Divine, Eternal Spirit springs
 * The True Grounds Of Eternal And Immutable Rectitude" St. 6

And to adore excite and to admire; But to plain Minds the Plainest Pow'r Above Is Native Goodness to attract our Love; '''Centre of all Its various Pow'r and Skill Is One Divine, Immutable Good Will.'''
 * Endless Perfections after all conspire,
 * The True Grounds Of Eternal And Immutable Rectitude" St. 8

The real Nature of all outward Law.''' In ev'ry Instance, rightly understood, Its Ground and Reason is the human Good; By all its Changes, since the World began, Man was not made for Law, but Law for Man.
 * "The Sabbath was made for Man; not Man for the Sabbath."
 * — St. Mark, ii. 27
 * '''From this true Saying one may learn to draw
 * "On the Nature and Reason of All Outward Law"

To be the plainest Proof in Christ's Esteem'''; Who has Himself declar'd what He will say To all the Nations at the Judgment Day: "Come," or "Depart," is the predicted Lot Of brotherly Compassion shown, or not.
 * '''Of true Religion Works of Mercy seem
 * "On Works of Mercy and Compassion, Considered as The Proofs of True Religion", St. 1

Of true and false Religion lies the Root.''' The Mind of Christ, when He became a Man, With all Its Tempers, forms its real Plan, The Sheep from Goats distinguishing full well; — His Love is Heav'n, and Want of It is Hell.
 * '''Here, all ye learned, full of all Dispute,
 * "On Works of Mercy and Compassion, Considered as The Proofs of True Religion", St. 6

Within my troubled breast, Though I unworthy be Of so divine a Guest.
 * My spirit longs for Thee,
 * "The Desponding Soul's Wish" (also called "My Spirit Longs For Thee")

But in Thy blessèd love; O let my wish be crowned And send it from above.
 * No rest is to be found
 * "The Desponding Soul's Wish"

God bless! (No harm in blessing) the Pretender. But who Pretender is, and who is King, God bless us all! That's quite another thing!'''
 * '''God bless the King! (I mean our faith's defender!)
 * Verse "Intended to allay the Violence of Party-Spirit"

Divine Love, The Essential Characteristic of True Religion


Love is to me the plainest Word of all.''' Plainest, — because that what I love, or hate, Shews me directly my internal State; By its own Consciousness is best defin'd Which way the Heart within me stands inclin'd. On what it lets its Inclination rest, To that its real Worship is address'd; '''Whatever Forms or Ceremonies spring From Custom's Force, there lies the real Thing'''; Jew, Turk or Christian be the Lover's Name, If same the Love, Religion is the same.
 * '''Religion's Meaning when I would recall,
 * St. 1 & 2

There is but one that ever can be true, — One God, One Christ, One Spirit, none but He. All else is Idol, whatsoe'er it be,— A Good that our Imaginations make, Unless we love it purely for His Sake.
 * Of all Religions if we take a View,
 * St. 3

By all His Creatures partly understood.''' If therefore Sense of its apparent Parts Raise not His Love or Worship in our Hearts, Our selfish Wills or Notions we may feast, And have no more Religion than a Beast.
 * '''The One Unbounded, Undivided Good,
 * St. 5

That penetrates thro' all to Its True Source'''; Loves all along, but with proportion'd Bent, As Creatures further the Divine Ascent, Not to the Skies or Stars, but to the part That will be always uppermost, — the Heart, There is the Seat, as Holy Writings tell, Where the Most High Himself delights to dwell; Whither attracting the desirous Will To its true Rest, He saves it from all Ill, Gives it to find in His Abyssal Love An Heav'n within, — in other Words, Above.
 * 'Religion, then, is Love's'' Celestial Force
 * St. 7 & 8

A Paraphrase on the Prayer used in The Church Liturgy for All Sorts and Conditions Of Men

 * A poetic paraphrase of a prayer by Peter Gunning

Who suffer'd to save them, Christ Jesus, His Son,— In respect to the World, the Redeemer of All; "To the Church of the Faithful, most chiefly," saith Paul; And to them who shall suffer, whoever they be, In the Spirit of Christ, in the highest Degree. How ought such a Goodness all Minds to prepare For an hearty "Amen" to this Catholic Pray'r!
 * All which she entreats, for His Sake, to be done,
 * IX

An Assembly where Nothing but Friendship is meant; And the utter Extinction of Foeship and Wrath By the Working of Love in the Strength of its Faith.''' This gives it its holy and catholic Name, And truly confirms its apostolic Claim; Showing what the One Saviour's One Mission had been: "Go and teach all the World," — ev'ry Creature therein. '''In the Praise ever due to the Gospel of Grace Its Universality holds the first Place. ''' When an Angel proclaim'd Its glad Tidings the Morn That the Son of the Virgin, the Saviour, was born, "Which shall be to all People," was said to complete The angelical Message, so good and so great, Full of " Glory to God," in the Regions Above, And of "Goodness to Men," is so Boundless a Love.
 * '''The Church is indeed, in its real Intent,
 * X & XI

When the longer with us is not wont to be said, Tho' brief in Expression, as fully imports The Will to all Blessings, for "Men of all Sorts," — Same brotherly Love, by which Christians are taught To "pray without ceasing," or limiting Thought; '''That Religion may flourish upon its true Plan Of Glory to God and Salvation to Man.'''
 * This short Supplication, or Litany, read
 * XII