Alexander Pope

Satan is wiser now than before, and tempts by making rich instead of poor.

Satan is wiser now than before, and tempts by making rich instead of poor.

Soft o'er the shrouds aerial whispers breathe,
That seemed but zephyrs to the train beneath.

Soft o'er the shrouds aerial whispers breathe,
That seemed but zephyrs to the train beneath.

The flying rumours gather'd as the roll'd,
Scarce any tale was sooner heard than told;
And all read more

The flying rumours gather'd as the roll'd,
Scarce any tale was sooner heard than told;
And all who told it added something new.
And all who heard it made enlargements too.

See! from the brake the whirring pheasant springs,
And mounts exulting on triumphant wings:
Short is his read more

See! from the brake the whirring pheasant springs,
And mounts exulting on triumphant wings:
Short is his joy; he feels the fiery wound,
Flutters in blood, and panting beats the ground.

Some positive persisting fops we know,
Who, if once wrong, will needs be always so;
But you read more

Some positive persisting fops we know,
Who, if once wrong, will needs be always so;
But you with pleasure own your errors past,
And make each day a critique on the last.