I cannot bear it! said the pewter soldier. I have shed pewter tears! It is too melancholy! Rather let me go to the wars and lose arms and legs! It would at least be a change. I cannot bear it longer! Now, I know what it is to have a visit from one’s old thoughts, with what they may bring with them! I have had a visit from mine, and you may be sure it is no pleasant thing in the end; I was at last about to jump down from the drawers.
—Hans Christian Andersen (1805–75) Danish Author, Poet, Short Story Writer
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
It is some relief to weep; grief is satisfied and carried off by tears.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
To weep is to make less the depth of grief.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
A woman wears her tears like jewelry.
—Unknown
Crying is the refuge of plain women but the ruin of pretty ones.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
The tears of the world are a constant quality. For each one who begins to weep, somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh.
—Samuel Beckett (1906–1989) Irish Novelist, Playwright
Tears are the natural penalties of pleasure. It is a law that we should pay for all that we enjoy.
—William Gilmore Simms (1806–70) American Poet, Historian, Novelist, Editor
Lips that taste of tears, they say,
Are the best for kissing.
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967) American Humorist, Journalist
Oh! too convincing—dangerously dear—In woman’s eye the unanswerable tear!
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
I wept not, so to stone within I grew.
—Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) Italian Poet, Philosopher
The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.
—John Vance Cheney (1848–1922) American Poet, Essayist, Librarian
I often want to cry. That is the only advantage women have over men – at least they can cry.
—Jean Rhys (1890–1979) British Novelist, Short-story Writer
Crises bring out the best in the best of us, and the worst in the worst of us.
—Unknown
Every woman is wrong until she cries, and then she is right – instantly.
—Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1796–1865) Canadian Author, Humorist, Businessperson, Judge
Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
I have full cause of weeping, but this heart shall break into a hundred thousand flaws or ere I’ll weep.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
If you wish me to weep, you must first show grief yourself.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
More grievous than tears is the sight of them.
—Antonio Porchia (1885–1968) Italian Poet
In youth one has tears without grief; in age, griefs without tears
—Philibert Joseph Roux (1780–1854) French Surgeon
Tearless grief bleeds inwardly.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
The drying up a single tear has more of honest fame, than shedding seas of gore.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
Time engraves our faces with all the tears we have not shed.
—Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972) American Playwright, Poet, Novelist
Pearls mean tears.
—Doris Lessing (1919–2013) British Novelist, Poet
One weeps not save when one is afraid, and that is why kings are tyrants.
—Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) French Political leader, Revolutionary, Novelist, Poet, Critic
Whatever tears one may shed, in the end one always blows one’s nose.
—Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) German Poet, Writer
He does not weep who does not see.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
It is such a secret place, the land of tears.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
A man has as much right as a woman to a good cry now and again. The snow gave me shelter; the horse understood and gave me the time.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Many shed tears merely for show, and have dry eyes when no one’s around to observe them.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian