Samuel Butler

Evil is like water, it abounds, is cheap, soon fouls, but runs itself clear of taint.

Evil is like water, it abounds, is cheap, soon fouls, but runs itself clear of taint.

Beside, he was a shrewd philosopher,
And had read ev'ry text and gloss over
Whate'er the crabbed'st read more

Beside, he was a shrewd philosopher,
And had read ev'ry text and gloss over
Whate'er the crabbed'st author hath,
He understood b' implicit faith.

Videlicit,
That each man swore to do his best
To damn and perjure all the rest.

Videlicit,
That each man swore to do his best
To damn and perjure all the rest.

So 'ere the storm of war broke out,
Religion spawn'd a various rout
Of petulant capricious sects,
read more

So 'ere the storm of war broke out,
Religion spawn'd a various rout
Of petulant capricious sects,
That maggots of corrupted texts,
That first run all religion down,
And after every swarm its own.

In mathematics he was greater
Than Tycho Brahe, or Erra Pater;
For he, by geometric scale,
read more

In mathematics he was greater
Than Tycho Brahe, or Erra Pater;
For he, by geometric scale,
Could take the size of pots of ale.