Chapter ENGLAND to ENGLAND of Index by Grocott's Quotations - Alpha

ENGLAND to ENGLAND

ENGLAND.—This England never did, nor never shall,
Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror,
But when it first did help to wound itself.—
Come the three corners of the world in arms,
And we Shall shock them: nought shall make us rue,
If England to itself do rest but true.

Shakespeare.—King John, Act V. Scene 7. (The Bastard.)

England is safe, if true within itself.

Shakespeare.—King Henry VI. Part III. Act IV. Scene 1. (Hastings to Montague.)

Let us be back’d with God, and with the seas,
Which he hath given for fence impregnable,
And with their helps only defend ourselves;
In them, and in ourselves, our safety lies.

Shakespeare.—King Henry VI. Part III. Act IV. Scene 1. (Hastings to Clarence.)

Be Britain still to Britain true,
Amang oursels united;
For never but by British hands,
Maun British wrangs be righted.

Burns.—Dumfries Volunteers.

The sword we dread not: of ourselves secure,
Firm were our strength, our peace and freedom sure.
Let all the world confederate all its powers,
“Be they not back’d by those that should be ours,”
High on his rock shall Britain’s Genius stand,
Scatter the crowded hosts, and vindicate the land.

Canning.—New Morality.

As round our isle the azure billow roars,
From all the world dividing Britain’s shores,
Within its fence be Britain’s nations join’d,
A world themselves, yet friends of human-kind.

Pye.—Alfred, Book VI. Line 99.

The Ocean is the grand vehicle of trade, and the uniter of distant nations. To us it is peculiarly kind, not only as it wafts into our ports the harvests of every climate, and renders our island the centre of traffic, but also as it secures us from foreign invasions by a sort impregnable intrenchment.

Harvey.—Reflections on a Flower Garden.

ENGLAND.—England, of all countries in the world,
Most blind to thine own good.

Randolph.—The Muses’ Looking-glass, Act III. Scene 2.

Hail, land of bowmen! seed of those who scorn’d
To stoop the neck to wide imperial Rome:
O dearest half of Albion sea-walled.

Albania.—Quoted by Scott, Fair Maid of Perth, Chap. XXVI.

It is most meet we arm us ’gainst the foe:
For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom,
But that defences, musters, preparations,
Should be maintain’d, assembled and collected,
As were a war in expectation.

Shakespeare.—King Henry V. Act II. Scene IV. (The Dauphin to the French King.)

Poor England! thou art a devoted deer,
Beset with every ill but that of fear.
The nations hunt; all mock thee for a prey;
They swarm around thee, and thou stand’st at bay.

Cowper.—Table Talk, Line 363.