"Arts may ply fantastic anatomy but nature is always herself in her wildest moods of extravagence."

John Clare Literature See all quotes by John Clare →

React to this quote

More by John Clare

See all

“Fashion is her favourite disciple.”

“Superstition lives longer than books, it is engraved on the human mind 'til it becomes a part of its existence.”

“'Popularity of Authorship'”

“And don't despise your betters cause they're old.”

“'The Shepherd's Calendar' in full”

“Popularity is a hasty and busy talker, she catches hold of topics and offers them to fame without giving herself time to reflect whether they are true or false.”

Resonant Thoughts

"The professional philosopher in keen competition with the natural scientist resolves to be more certain about less."

— Russell Jacoby

Education1945

#nature

"Do you like to see what can be transformed from a flat, elementary rural scene - bearing the stamp of nature, the mark of truth - into something most beautiful and graceful? Look at the works of our g…"

— Barend Cornelis Koekkoek

Art1803–1862

#beauty

"Of two friends, one is always the slave of the other, although frequently neither acknowledges the fact to himself."

— Mikhail Lermontov

Literature1814–1841

#knowledge

"By its sudden collapse, ... the proud German army has once again proved the truth of the saying, 'The Hun is always either at your throat or at your feet'."

— Winston Churchill

Politics1940–2010

#truth