He that is down need fear no fall.

He that is down need fear no fall.

Meagre were his looks,
Sharp misery had worn him to the bones;
And in his needy shop read more

Meagre were his looks,
Sharp misery had worn him to the bones;
And in his needy shop a tortoise hung,
An alligator stuffed, and other skins
Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves
A beggarly account of boxes,
Green earthen pots, bladders, and musty seeds,
Remnants of packthread, and old cakes of roses
Were thinly scattered, to make up a show.

Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.

Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.

I don't think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that still remains

I don't think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that still remains

The worst of misery
Is when a nature framed for noblest things
Condemns itself in youth to read more

The worst of misery
Is when a nature framed for noblest things
Condemns itself in youth to petty joys,
And, sore athirst for air, breathes scanty life
Gasping from out the shallows.

This, this is misery! the last, the worst,
That man can feel.

This, this is misery! the last, the worst,
That man can feel.

Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer read more

Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief.

No, misery makes sport to mock itself.

No, misery makes sport to mock itself.

Any genuine philosophy leads to action and from action back again to wonder, to the enduring fact of mystery.

Any genuine philosophy leads to action and from action back again to wonder, to the enduring fact of mystery.