Poets From England

"Twixt truth and error there's this difference known; Error is fruitful, truth is only one."

"Despair takes heart, when there's no hope to speed: The coward then takes arms and does the deed."

"Know when to speak; for many times it brings Danger to give the best advice to kings."

"Men are suspicious, prone to discontent: Subjects still loathe the present government."

"Praise they that will times past; I joy to see Myself now live: this age best pleaseth me."

"Love's of itself too sweet; the best of all Is, when love's honey has a dash of gall."

"No, not Jove Himself, at one time, can be wise and love."

"Night makes no difference 'twixt the priest and clerk; Joan as my lady is as good i' th' dark."

"Thus times do shift; each thing his turn does hold: New things succeed, as former things grow old."

"We credit most our sight; one eye doth please Our trust far more than ten ear-witnesses."

"'Twixt kings and tyrants there's this difference known: Kings seek their subjects' good, tyrants their own."

"Against diseases here the strongest fence Is the defensive virtue, abstinence."

"Methought, her long small legs and thighs I with my tendrils did surprise; Her belly, buttocks, and her waist By my soft nerv'lets were embrac'd."

"We such clusters had As made us nobly wild, not mad; And yet each verse of thine Out-did the meat, out-did the frolic wine."

"When words we want, Love teacheth to indite; And what we blush to speak, she bids us write."

"In things a moderation keep: Kings ought to shear, not skin their sheep."

"Come, bring with a noise, My merry, merry boys, The Christmas log to the firing."

"Whenas in silks my Julia goes, Then, then, methinks, how sweetly flows The liquefaction of her clothes.Next, when I cast mine eyes and see That brave vibration each way free; O how that glittering taketh me!"

"That happiness does still the longest thrive, Where joys and griefs have turns alternative."

"Hast thou attempted greatness? then go on: Back-turning slackens resolution."

"If little labour, little are our gains: Man's fortunes are according to his pains."

"Of both our fortunes good and bad we find Prosperity more searching of the mind: Felicity flies o'er the wall and fence, While misery keeps in with patience."

"I saw a fly within a bead Of amber cleanly burièd; The urn was little, but the room More rich than Cleopatra's tomb."

"Let wealth come in by comely thrift And not by any sordid shift; 'Tis haste Makes waste: Extremes have still their fault: The softest fire makes the sweetest malt: Who grips too hard the dry and slippery sand Holds none at all, or little in his hand."

"Here a pretty baby lies Sung asleep with lullabies; Pray be silent, and not stir Th' easy earth that covers her."

"Go to your banquet then, but use delight, So as to rise still with an appetite. Love is a thing most nice, and must be fed To such a height, but never surfeited. What is beyond the mean is ever ill: Tis best to feed Love, but not overfill."

"A cat I keep that plays about my house, Grown fat With eating many a miching mouse. To these A Tracy I do keep whereby I please The more my rural privacy; Which are But toys to give my heart some ease; Where care None is, slight things do lightly please."

"What is a kiss? Why this, as some approve: The sure, sweet cement, glue, and lime of love."

"Here she lies, in bed of spice, Fair as Eve in Paradise: For her beauty it was such Poets could not praise too much. Virgins, come, and in a ring Her supremest requiem sing; Then depart, but see ye tread Lightly, lightly, o'er the dead."

"A little saint best fits a little shrine, A little prop best fits a little vine: As my small cruse best fits my little wine."

"None pities him that's in the snare, And, warned before, would not beware."

"Learn this of me, where'er thy lot doth fall, Short lot or not, to be content with all."

"Good-morrow to the day so fair, Good-morning, sir, to you; Good-morrow to mine own torn hair, Bedabbled with the dew."

"Oft have I heard both youths and virgins say Birds choose their mates, and couple too this day; But by their flight I never can divine When I shall couple with my valentine."

"For pity, sir, find out that bee Which bore my love away. I'll seek him in your bonnet brave, I'll seek him in your eyes."

"Hunger makes coarse meats delicates."

"No marigolds yet closèd are, No shadows great appear."

"Fain would I kiss my Julia's dainty leg, Which is as white and hairless as an egg."

"Let others drink thee freely, and desire Thee and their lips espous'd, while I admire And love thee, but not taste thee. Let my muse Fail of thy former helps, and only use Her inadult'rate strength: what's done by me Hereafter shall smell of the lamp, not thee."

"But if that golden age would come again, And Charles here rule, as he before did reign; ... I should delight to have my curls half drown'd In Tyrian dews, and head with roses crown'd; And once more yet, ere I am laid out dead, Knock at a star with my exalted head."

"Her eyes the glow-worm lend thee, The shooting stars attend thee; And the elves also, Whose little eyes glow Like the sparks of fire, befriend thee. No Will-o'-th'-Wisp mislight thee, Nor snake or slow-worm bite thee; But on, on thy way Not making a stay, Since ghost there's none to affright thee."

"What though the sea be calm? Trust to the shore, Ships have been drown'd where late they danc'd before."

"But when I crept with leaves to hide Those parts, which maids keep unespy'd, Such fleeting pleasures there I took, That with the fancy I awoke; And found, ah me! this flesh of mine More like a stock than like a vine."

"The readiness of doing doth express No other but the doer's willingness."

"The stars of the night Will lend thee their light Like tapers clear without number."

"Thou art a plant sprung up to wither never, But like a laurel to grow green for ever."

"His goodness stands approved, Unchanged from day to day; I'll drop my burden at His feet, And bear a song away."

"Let's live with that small pittance that we have; Who covets more, is evermore a slave."

"’T is a stinger."

"By many a happy accident."