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151
MONEY MAKES THE MIRTH
When all birds else do of their music fail,
Money's the still-sweet-singing nightingale!
152
TEARS AND LAUGHTER
Knew'st thou one month would take thy life away,
Thou'dst weep; but laugh, should it not last a day.
153
UPON TEARS
Tears, though they're here below the sinner's brine,
Above, they are the Angels' spiced wine.
154
ON LOVE
Love's of itself too sweet; the best of all
Is, when love's honey has a dash of gall.
155
PEACE NOT PERMANENT
Great cities seldom rest; if there be none
T' invade from far, they'll find worse foes at home.
156
PARDONS
Those ends in war the best contentment bring,
Whose peace is made up with a pardoning.
157
TRUTH AND ERROR
Twixt truth and error, there's this difference known
Error is fruitful, truth is only one.
158
WlT PUNISHED PROSPERS MOST
Dread not the shackles; on with thine intent,
Good wits get more fame by their punishment.
159
BURIAL
Man may want land to live in; but for all
Nature finds out some place for burial.
160
NO PAINS, NO GAINS
If little labour, little are our gains;
Man's fortunes are according to his pains.
161
TO YOUTH
Drink wine, and live here blitheful while ye may;
The morrow's life too late is; Live to-day.
162
TO ENJOY THE TIME
While fates permit us, let's be merry;
Pass all we must the fatal ferry;
And this our life, too, whirls away,
With the rotation of the day.
163
FELICITY QUICK OF FLIGHT
Every time seems short to be
That's measured by felicity;
But one half-hour that's made up here
With grief, seems longer than a year.
164
MIRTH
True mirth resides not in the smiling skin;
The sweetest solace is to act no sin.
165
THE HEART
In prayer the lips ne'er act the winning part
Without the sweet concurrence of the heart.
166
LOVE, WHAT IT IS
Love is a circle, that doth restless move
In the same sweet eternity of Love.
167
DREAMS
Here we are all, by day; by night we're hurl'd
By dreams, each one into a several world.
168
AMBITION
In man, ambition is the common'st thing;
Each one by nature loves to be a king.
169
SAFETY ON THE SHORE
What though the sea be calm? Trust to the shore;
Ships have been drown'd, where late they danced before.
170
UPON A PAINTED GENTLEWOMAN
Men say you're fair; and fair ye are, 'tis true;
But, hark! we praise the painter now, not you.
171
UPON WRINKLES
Wrinkles no more are, or no less,
Than beauty turn'd to sourness.
172
CASUALTIES
Good things, that come of course, far less do please
Than those which come by sweet contingencies.
173
TO LIVE FREELY
Let's live in haste; use pleasures while we may;
Could life return, 'twould never lose a day.
174
NOTHING FREE-COST
Nothing comes free-cost here; Jove will not let
His gifts go from him, if not bought with sweat.
175
MAN'S DYING-PLACE UNCERTAIN
Man knows where first he ships himself; but he
Never can tell where shall his landing be.
176
LOSS FROM THE LEAST
Great men by small means oft are overthrown;
He's lord of thy life, who contemns his own.
177
POVERTY AND RICHES
Who with a little cannot be content,
Endures an everlasting punishment.
178
UPON MAN
Man is composed here of a twofold part;
The first of nature, and the next of art;
Art presupposes nature; nature, she
Prepares the way for man's docility.
179
PURPOSES
No wrath of men, or rage of seas,
Can shake a just man's purposes;
No threats of tyrants, or the grim
Visage of them can alter him;
But what he doth at first intend,
That he holds firmly to the end.
180
FOUR THINGS MAKE US HAPPY HERE
Health is the first good lent to men;
A gentle disposition then:
Next, to be rich by no by-ways;
Lastly, with friends t' enjoy our days.
181
THE WATCH
Man is a watch, wound up at first, but never
Wound up again; Once down, he's down for ever.
The watch once down, all motions then do cease;
The man's pulse stopt, all passions sleep in peace.
182
UPON THE DETRACTER
I ask'd thee oft what poets thou hast read,
And lik'st the best? Still thou repli'st, The dead.
--I shall, ere long, with green turfs cover'd be;
Then sure thou'lt like, or thou wilt envy, me.
183
ON HlMSELF
Live by thy Muse thou shalt, when others die,
Leaving no fame to long posterity;
When monarchies trans-shifted are, and gone,
Here shall endure thy vast dominion.
184
I CALL AND I CALL
I call, I call: who do ye call?
The maids to catch this cowslip ball!
But since these cowslips fading be,
Troth, leave the flowers, and maids, take me!
Yet, if that neither you will do,
Speak but the word, and I'll take you,
185
THE SUCCESSION OF THE FOUR SWEET MONTHS
First, April, she with mellow showers
Opens the way for early flowers;
Then after her comes smiling May,
In a more rich and sweet array;
Next enters June, and brings us more
Gems than those two that went before;
Then, lastly, July comes, and she
More wealth brings in than all those three.
186
TO BLOSSOMS
Fair pledges of a fruitful tree,
Why do ye fall so fast?
Your date is not so past,
But you may stay yet here a-while,
To blush and gently smile;
And go at last.
What, were ye born to be
An hour or half's delight;
And so to bid good-night?
'Twas pity Nature brought ye forth,
Merely to show your worth,
And lose you quite.
But you are lovely leaves, where we
May read how soon things have
Their end, though ne'er so brave:
And after they have shown their pride,
Like you, a-while;--they glide
Into the grave.
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