Quote#Wisdom
Like Eden Fruitful, like Arabia Gay
Quote byDaniel Defoe · 1660–1731
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: The Royal Progress: Or, A Historical View of the Journeys, or Progresses, which several Great Princes have made to visit their Dominions, And Acquaint themselves with their People (1724).
English (original)
Like Eden Fruitful, like Arabia Gay, So blest, they scarcely know for what to pray; England in native Glory ever springs; A Country fitted for the View of Kings.
— Daniel Defoe
More from Daniel Defoe
Hail, hieroglyphic State machine, Contrived to punish fancy in; Men that are men in thee can feel no pain, And all thy insignificance disdain!
Reason, it is true, is DICTATOR in the Society of Mankind; from her there ought to lie no Appeal; But here we want a Pope in our Philosophy, to be the infallible Judge of what is or is not Reason.
Alas the Church of England! What with Popery on one hand, and schismatics on the other, how has she been crucified between two thieves!
We loved the doctrine for the teacher's sake.
Next, bring some lawyers to thy bar, By innuendo they might all stand there; There let them expiate that guilt, And pay for all that blood their tongues have spilt. These are the mountebanks of state, Who by the sleight of tongues can …
All men would be tyrants if they could.