Quote#Friendship
Old books, old wine, old Nankin blue;—
Quote byAustin Dobson · 1840–1921
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: "To Richard Watson Gilder" (1884), line 8, in Carmina Votiva (London: Printed for private circulation, 1901), p. 68..
English (original)
Old books, old wine, old Nankin blue;— All things, in short, to which belong The charm, the grace that Time makes strong,— All these I prize, but (entre nous) Old friends are best.
— Austin Dobson
More from Austin Dobson
The ladies of St. James’s! They’re painted to the eyes; Their white it stays forever Their red it never dies: But Phillida, my Phillida! Her colour comes and goes;
Carry his body hence,— Kings must have slaves; Kings climb to eminence Over men's graves: So this man's eye is dim;— Throw the earth over him.
And round about its gray, time-eaten brow Lean letters speak—a worn and shattered row: I am a Shade: a Shadowe too arte thou: I marke the Time: saye, Gossip, dost thou soe?
Fame is a food that dead men eat,— I have no stomach for such meat.
Love comes unseen,—we only see it go.
All the seasons run their race In this quiet resting place; Peach, and apricot, and fig Here will ripen, and grow big; Here is store and overplus,— More had not Alcinoüs!