Sir Walter Raleigh Quotes

A collection of quotes by Sir Walter Raleigh.

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) was an English explorer, soldier, poet, and writer. He played a major role in the Elizabethan era as a favorite courtier of Queen Elizabeth I. Raleigh is best known for his expeditions to the New World, particularly to present-day North Carolina, where he established the first English colony on Roanoke Island. His writings, including "The Discovery of Guiana" and "The History of the World," were influential and showcased his interests in literature, politics, and discovery. However, Raleigh's political ambitions and involvement in treacherous plots led to his eventual imprisonment and execution.

But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequ

But it is hard to know them from friends, they are so obsequious and full of protestations; for a wolf resembles a dog, so doth a flatterer a friend.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Flattery

O eloquent, just, and mighty Death! whom none could advise,

O eloquent, just, and mighty Death! whom none could advise, thou hast persuaded; what none hath dared, thou hast done; and whom all the world hath flattered, thou only hath cast out of the world and despised. Thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched greatness, all the pride, cruelty, and ambition of man, and covered it all over with these two narrow words, Hic jacet!

Sir Walter Raleigh

Death

All histories do show, and wise politicians do hold it neces

All histories do show, and wise politicians do hold it necessary that, for the well-governing of every Commonweal, it behoveth man to presuppose that all men are evil, and will declare themselves so to be when occasion is offered.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Evil

Be advised what thou dost discourse of, and what thou mainta

Be advised what thou dost discourse of, and what thou maintainest whether touching religion, state, or vanity; for if thou err in the first, thou shalt be accounted profane; if in the second, dangerous; if in the third, indiscreet and foolish.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Judgment Judging

It is the nature of men having escaped one extreme, which by

It is the nature of men having escaped one extreme, which by force they were constrained long to endure, to run headlong into the other extreme, forgetting that virtue doth always consist in the mean.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Fanaticism

Who so taketh in hand to frame any state or government ought

Who so taketh in hand to frame any state or government ought to presuppose that all men are evil, and at occasions will show themselves so to be.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Government

Talking much is a sign of vanity, for the one who is lavish

Talking much is a sign of vanity, for the one who is lavish with words is cheap in deeds.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Goodness

No man is esteemed for colorful garments except by fools and

No man is esteemed for colorful garments except by fools and women.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Fashion

For whosoever commands the sea commands the trade; whosoever

For whosoever commands the sea commands the trade; whosoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world, and consequently the world itself.

Sir Walter Raleigh


Remember if you marry for beauty, thou bindest thyself all t

Remember if you marry for beauty, thou bindest thyself all thy life for that which perchance, will neither last nor please thee one year: and when thou hast it, it will be to thee of no price at all.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Beauty

War begets quiet, quiet idleness, idleness disorder, disorde

War begets quiet, quiet idleness, idleness disorder, disorder ruin; likewise ruin order, order virtue, virtue glory, and good fortune.

Sir Walter Raleigh

War

All, or the greatest part of men that have aspired to riches

All, or the greatest part of men that have aspired to riches or power, have attained thereunto either by force or fraud, and what they have by craft or cruelty gained, to cover the foulness of their fact, they call purchase, as a name more honest. Howsoever, he that for want of will or wit useth not those means, must rest in servitude and poverty.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Power

Use your youth so that you may have comfort to remember it w

Use your youth so that you may have comfort to remember it when it has forsaken you, and not sigh and grieve at the account thereof.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Youth

Who so desireth to know what will be hereafter, let him thin

Who so desireth to know what will be hereafter, let him think of what is past, for the world hath ever been in a circular revolution; whatsoever is now, was heretofore; and things past or present, are no other than such as shall be again: Redit orbis in orbem.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Past

He that doth not as other men do, but endeavoureth that whic

He that doth not as other men do, but endeavoureth that which ought to be done, shall thereby rather incur peril than preservation; for who so laboreth to be sincerely perfect and good shall necessarily perish, living among men that are generally evil.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Integrity

There is nothing exempt from the peril of mutation; the eart

There is nothing exempt from the peril of mutation; the earth, heavens, and whole world is thereunto subject.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Change

I wish I loved the Human Race; I wish I loved its silly face

I wish I loved the Human Race; I wish I loved its silly face; I wish I liked the way it walks; I wish I liked the way it talks; And when I'm introduced to one I wish I thought What Jolly Fun!

Sir Walter Raleigh

Humanity

The world is but a large prison, out of which some are daily

The world is but a large prison, out of which some are daily selected for execution.

Sir Walter Raleigh

World

Better were it to be unborn than to be ill bred.

Better were it to be unborn than to be ill bred.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Manners

Hatreds are the cinders of affection.

Hatreds are the cinders of affection.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Hate