"Not to admire, is all the art I know
(Plain truth, dear Murray, needs few flowers of speech)
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"Not to admire, is all the art I know
(Plain truth, dear Murray, needs few flowers of speech)
To make men happy, or to keep them so."
(So take it in the very words of Creech)
Thus Horace wrote we all know long ago;
And thus Pope quotes the precept to re-teach
From his translation; but had none admired,
Would Pope have sung, or Horace been inspired?

Season your admiration for a while
With an attent ear. . . .

Season your admiration for a while
With an attent ear. . . .

For fools admire, but me of sense approve.

For fools admire, but me of sense approve.

here is an innocence in admiration; it is found in those to whom it has never yet occurred that they, read more

here is an innocence in admiration; it is found in those to whom it has never yet occurred that they, too, might be admired some day.

The only things one can admire at length are those one admires without knowing why.

The only things one can admire at length are those one admires without knowing why.

We live by our imagination, our admirations, and our sentiments.

We live by our imagination, our admirations, and our sentiments.

We always love those who admire us; we do not always love those whom we admire.

We always love those who admire us; we do not always love those whom we admire.

The best emotions to write out of are anger and fear or dread. . . . The least energizing emotion read more

The best emotions to write out of are anger and fear or dread. . . . The least energizing emotion to write out of is admiration . . . because the basic feeling that goes with admiration is a passive contemplative mood.

Distance is a great promoter of admiration!

Distance is a great promoter of admiration!