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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

Page 255

 
 
John Milton. (1608–1674) (continued)
 
an eagle mewing her mighty youth, and kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam.
          Areopagitica.
2828
    Though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do ingloriously, by licensing and prohibiting, to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple: who ever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter? 1
          Areopagitica.
2829
    Men of most renowned virtue have sometimes by transgressing most truly kept the law.
          Tetrachordon.
2830
    By this time, like one who had set out on his way by night, and travelled through a region of smooth or idle dreams, our history now arrives on the confines, where daylight and truth meet us with a clear dawn, representing to our view, though at a far distance, true colours and shapes.
          The History of England. Book i.
2831
    Such bickerings to recount, met often in these our writers, what more worth is it than to chronicle the wars of kites or crows flocking and fighting in the air?
          The History of England. Book iv.
 
Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon. (1609–1674)
 
2832
    He [Hampden] had a head to contrive, a tongue to persuade, and a hand to execute any mischief. 2
          History of the Rebellion. Vol. iii. Book vii. Section 84.
 
Note 1.
Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.—Thomas Jefferson: Inaugural Address. [back]
Note 2.
In every deed of mischief he had a heart to resolve, a head to contrive, and a hand to execute.—Edward Gibbon: Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chap. xlviii.

Heart to conceive the understanding to direct, or the hand to execute. —From Junius, letter xxxvii. Feb. 14, 1770. [back]