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George William Russell Quotes (1867-1935)
Poet, Painter
About George William Russell
George William Russell (10 April 1867 – 17 July 1935) was an Irish nationalist, critic, poet, painter and mystic who often wrote under the pseudonym "Æ."
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“The great deep thrills for through it everywhere
The breath of beauty blows.”
The breath of beauty blows.”
“Oh, I am so old, meseems
I am next of kin to Time,
The historian of her dreams
From the long forgotten prime.”
I am next of kin to Time,
The historian of her dreams
From the long forgotten prime.”
“In the fire of love we live, or pass by many ways,
By unnumbered ways of dream to death. The Hermit ”
By unnumbered ways of dream to death. The Hermit ”
“We are desert leagues apart;
Time is misty ages now
Since the warmth of heart to heart
Chased the shadows from my brow.”
Time is misty ages now
Since the warmth of heart to heart
Chased the shadows from my brow.”
“What of all the will to do?
It has vanished long ago,
For a dream-shaft pierced it through
From the Unknown Archer's bow.”
It has vanished long ago,
For a dream-shaft pierced it through
From the Unknown Archer's bow.”
“Now the quietude of earth
Nestles deep my heart within;
Friendships new and strange have birth
Since I left the city's din.”
Nestles deep my heart within;
Friendships new and strange have birth
Since I left the city's din.”
“Though the dream of love may tire,
In the ages long agone
There were ruby hearts of fire —
Ah, the daughters of the dawn!”
In the ages long agone
There were ruby hearts of fire —
Ah, the daughters of the dawn!”
“Not unremembering we pass our exile from the starry ways:
One timeless hour in time we caught from the long night of endless days.”
One timeless hour in time we caught from the long night of endless days.”
“We deem our love so infinite
Because the Lord is everywhere,
And love awakening is made bright
And bathed in that diviner air.”
Because the Lord is everywhere,
And love awakening is made bright
And bathed in that diviner air.”
“All the morn a spirit gay
Breathes within my heart a rhyme,
''''Tis but hide and seek we play
In and out the courts of Time.'''”
Breathes within my heart a rhyme,
''''Tis but hide and seek we play
In and out the courts of Time.'''”
“We are tired who follow after
Phantasy and truth that flies:
You with only look and laughter
Stain our hearts with richest dyes.”
Phantasy and truth that flies:
You with only look and laughter
Stain our hearts with richest dyes.”
“For beauty called to beauty and there thronged at the enchanter's will
The vanished hours of love that burn within the Ever-living still.”
The vanished hours of love that burn within the Ever-living still.”
“Who would think this quiet breather
From the world had taken flight?
Yet within the form we see there
Wakes the golden King to-night.”
From the world had taken flight?
Yet within the form we see there
Wakes the golden King to-night.”
“Each dream remembered is a burning-glass,
Where through to darkness from the Light of Lights
Its rays in splendour pass.”
Where through to darkness from the Light of Lights
Its rays in splendour pass.”
“Something you see in me I wis not:
Another heart in you I guess:
A stranger's lips — but thine I kiss not,
Erring in all my tenderness.”
Another heart in you I guess:
A stranger's lips — but thine I kiss not,
Erring in all my tenderness.”
“A shaft of fire that falls like dew,
And melts and maddens all my blood,
From out thy spirit flashes through
The burning glass of womanhood.”
And melts and maddens all my blood,
From out thy spirit flashes through
The burning glass of womanhood.”
“The tower of heaven turns darker blue; a starry sparkle now begins;
The mystery and magnificence, the myriad beauty and the sins
Come back to me.”
The mystery and magnificence, the myriad beauty and the sins
Come back to me.”
“I sometimes think a mighty lover
Takes every burning kiss we give:
His lights are those which round us hover:
For him alone our lives we live.”
Takes every burning kiss we give:
His lights are those which round us hover:
For him alone our lives we live.”
“Hush, not a whisper! Let your heart alone go dreaming.
Dream unto dream may pass: deep in the heart alone
Murmurs the Mighty One his solemn undertone.”
Dream unto dream may pass: deep in the heart alone
Murmurs the Mighty One his solemn undertone.”
George William Russell Quotes by Topic
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George William Russell on Joy 4 quotes
View all 4 quotes on Joy →George William Russell on Pain
George William Russell on Kissing
“Thy tender kiss hath memory we are kings For all our wanderings. Thy shining eyes already see the after In hidden light and laughter.”
George William Russell on Unity
“And see the confluence of dreams That clashed together in our night, One river born of many streams Roll in one blaze of blinding light!”
George William Russell on Democracy
“There was autocracy in political life, and it was superseded by democracy. So surely will democratic power wrest from you the control of industry. The fate of you, the aristocracy of industry, will be as the fate of the aristocracy of land if you do not now show that you have some humanity still among you. Humanity abhors, above all things, a vacuum in itself, and your class will be cut off from humanity as the surgeon cuts the cancer and alien growth from the body. Be warned ere it is too late.”
What George William Russell Said About Others
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George William Russell on Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany
“The King of Elfland’ s Daughter is the most purely beautiful thing Lord Dunsany has written. There may be better or more exciting things in some of the short tales, but nowhere else has he had such a long run on that Pegasus of his that carries him east of the East and west of the West — not curving round the world, as he once said to me, but going on straight into regions that the makers of the Arabian tales of enchantment knew, or which lay in neighbouring kingdoms of romance.”
Quotes About George William Russell
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P. L. Travers on George William Russell 2 quotes
“I read Æ’s poems when I was a child in Australia. Later I came to England to see my relatives. But before I did that, I sent a poem to Æ, who was then editing The Irish Statesman, and with all the arrogance of youth I didn’t put any letter with it explaining myself or saying that I was Irish or anything. I just sent it with a stamped addressed envelope. And sure enough, the stamped envelope came back. But in it was a check for two guineas and a letter that said, “I’m accepting your poem, which is a very good one, and I think it could not have been written by anyone who wasn’t Irish. If you’re ever coming to Ireland, be sure to come and see me.” Since I was going to Ireland, I did go to see him and was greatly welcomed and more poems were taken. I felt immediate mutuality with him, this great elderly man bothering about me. But he bothered about all young poets. They were always welcome. After our visit he said to me, “On your way back through Dublin you come and see me again.” I said, “Of course, I will.” But when the time arrived and I was back in Dublin, an awful timidity came upon me. I thought he was a great man and I shouldn’t take up his time; he was doing this for politesse. And so I refrained from going to see him and went back to England. Sometime later when I opened the door, there was Æ. He said to me, “You’re a faithless girl. You promised to see me on your way back through Dublin and you didn’t.” And he added, “I meant to give you my books then and, as you weren’t there, I brought them.” And there were all his books.”
About George William Russell
George William Russell (10 April 1867 – 17 July 1935) was an Irish nationalist, critic, poet, painter and mystic who often wrote under the pseudonym "Æ."