William Shenstone
William Shenstone
William Shenstonewas an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, The Leasowes...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth18 November 1714
kind flattery applause
Flattery of the verbal kind is gross. In short, applause is of too coarse a nature to be swallowed in the gross, though the extract or tincture be ever so agreeable.
flattery imagine enough
Persons who discover a flatterer, do not always disapprove him, because he imagines them considerable enough to deserve his applications.
reads thy verses
Thy verses are eternal, O my friend, For he who reads them, reads them to no end
hear seldom shall
For seldom shall she hear a taleSo sad, so tender, and so true.
hear seldom shall tale
For seldom shall she hear a tale So sad, so tender, and so true.
found gift
I have found out a gift for my fair;I have found where the wood-pigeons breed.
found gift
I have found out a gift for my fair; I have found where the wood-pigeons breed.
birth claims gives politeness source surest
Of all that gives politeness birth,Of all that claims to please,In motion, manners, or in mirth,The surest source is ease.
claims gives politeness source surest
Of all that gives politeness birth, Of all that claims to please, In motion, manners, or in mirth, The surest source is ease.
art fair found humble low thou
To thee, fair Freedom! I retireFrom flattery, cards, and dice, and din:Nor art thou found in mansions higherThan the low cot, or humble inn.
essence bears virtue
Virtues, like essences, lose their fragrance when exposed. They are sensitive plants, which will not bear too familiar approaches.
imagination perfection tree
The works of a person that begin immediately to decay, while those of him who plants begin directly to improve. In this, planting promises a more lasting pleasure than building; which, were it to remain in equal perfection, would at best begin to moulder and want repairs in imagination. Now trees have a circumstance that suits our taste, and that is annual variety.
books degree diminished english-poet knowledge
His knowledge of books had in some degree diminished his knowledge of the world.
bear country foreign increasing love means native proper reside time
The proper means of increasing the love we bear to our native country is to reside some time in a foreign one