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Home›Traditions›Traditional

Traditional Illustrations

The orthodox, historical consensus of biblical interpretation.

Key question: “What is the most widely accepted and historically grounded understanding of this text?”

25,889 sermon illustrations through the Traditional lens

Poetry

The Four Ages of Man

1.1 Lo now! four other acts upon the stage, 1.2 Childhood, and Youth, the Manly, and Old-age. 1.3 The first: son unto Phlegm, grand-child to water, 1.4 Unstable, supple, moist, and cold's his Nature.

Universal

Anne Bradstreet

3566 words

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Poetry

Ode to Naples

I stood within the City disinterred; And heard the autumnal leaves like light footfalls Of spirits passing through the streets; and heard The Mountain's slumberous voice at intervals Thrill through those roofless halls; The oracular thunder penetrating shook The listening...

Universal

Percy Bysshe Shelley

970 words

Fable

The Lion and the Mouse

Little friends may prove great friends

Universalkindnessgratitude

Aesop

Short11 words

Fable

The Fox and the Crow

Do not trust flatterers

Universalflatteryvanity

Aesop

Short9 words

Poetry

Prosopopoia: or Mother Hubbard's Tale

By that he ended had his ghostly sermon, The fox was well induc'd to be a parson, And of the priest eftsoons gan to inquire, How to a benefice he might aspire.

57. Holy Willie’s Prayer

O THOU, who in the heavens does dwell, Who, as it pleases best Thysel’, Sends ane to heaven an’ ten to hell, A’ for Thy glory, And no for ony gude or ill They’ve done afore Thee!

Epistle To My Brother George

Full many a dreary hour have I past, My brain bewildered, and my mind o'ercast With heaviness; in seasons when I've thought No spherey strains by me could e'er be caught From the blue dome, though I to dimness gaze...

The Canterbury Tales. The Wife of Bath's Tale.

THE PROLOGUE.

The Canterbury Tales. The Franklin's Tale.

THE PROLOGUE.

Werner: First Draft

SCENE I.--_A ruinous chateau on the Silesian frontier of Bohemia_. THE storm is at it's height--how the wind howls, Like an unearthly voice, through these lone chambers! And the rain patters on the flapping casement Which quivers in it's frame--the...

Universal

George Gordon, Lord Byron

4215 words

Poetry

The Vanities of Life

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.--_Solomon What are life's joys and gains? What pleasures crowd its ways, That man should take such pains To seek them all his days? Sift this untoward strife On which thy mind is bent: See...

296. The Five Carlins: An Election Ballad

THERE was five Carlins in the South, They fell upon a scheme, To send a lad to London town, To bring them tidings hame. Nor only bring them tidings hame, But do their errands there, And aiblins gowd and honor...

The Canterbury Tales. The Squire's Tale.

THE PROLOGUE. Godde's mercy!" said our Hoste tho, "Now such a wife I pray God keep me fro'.

Granta. a Medley

(Reply of the Pythian Oracle to Philip of Macedon.) Oh! could LE SAGE'S demon's gift Be realis'd at my desire, This night my trembling form he'd lift To place it on St. Mary's spire.

Universal

George Gordon, Lord Byron

554 words

Poetry

The Prisoner of Chillon

My hair is grey, but not with years, Nor grew it white In a single night, As men's have grown from sudden fears: My limbs are bowed, though not with toil, But rusted with a vile repose, For they have...

Universal

George Gordon, Lord Byron

2305 words

Poetry

The Retrospect: Cwm Elan, 1812

A scene, which 'wildered fancy viewed In the soul's coldest solitude, With that same scene when peaceful love Flings rapture's colour o'er the grove, When mountain, meadow, wood and stream With unalloying glory gleam, And to the spirit's ear and eye Are unison and harmony.

The Canterbury Tales. The Monk's Tale.

THE PROLOGUE WHEN ended was my tale of Melibee, And of Prudence and her benignity, Our Hoste said, "As I am faithful man, And by the precious corpus Madrian, I had lever than a barrel of ale, That goode lefe...

A Vision of the Sea

'Tis the terror of tempest.

Universal

Percy Bysshe Shelley

1384 words

Fable

The Shepherd's Boy

A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth

Universalhonestytrust

Aesop

Short15 words

Fable

The Hart and the Hunter

We often despise what is most useful to us

Universalappreciationusefulness

Aesop

Short14 words

Poetry

The Canterbury Tales. The Manciple's Tale.

THE PROLOGUE. WEET ye not where there stands a little town, Which that y-called is Bob-up-and-down, Under the Blee, in Canterbury way? There gan our Hoste for to jape and play, And saide, "Sirs, what? Dun is in the mire.

Walt Whitman.

1 I CELEBRATE myself; And what I assume you shall assume; For every atom belonging to me, as good belongs to you. I loafe and invite my Soul; I lean and loafe at my ease, observing a spear of summer grass.

The Canterbury Tales. The Nun's Priest's Tale.

THE PROLOGUE. "Ho!" quoth the Knight, "good sir, no more of this; That ye have said is right enough, y-wis, And muche more; for little heaviness Is right enough to muche folk, I guess.

Universal

Geoffrey Chaucer

4724 words

Fable

The Buffoon and the Countryman

Men often applaud an imitation and hiss the real thing

Universalauthenticityperception

Aesop

Short15 words