Samuel Butler

This hairy meteor did announce
The fall of sceptres and of crowns.

This hairy meteor did announce
The fall of sceptres and of crowns.

He ne'er consider'd it as loth
To look a gift-horse in the mouth,
And very wisely would read more

He ne'er consider'd it as loth
To look a gift-horse in the mouth,
And very wisely would lay forth
No more upon it than 'twas worth;
But as he got it freely, so
He spent it frank and freely too:
For saints themselves will sometimes be,
Of gifts that cost them nothing, free.

For truth is precious and divine;
Too rich a pearl for carnal swine.

For truth is precious and divine;
Too rich a pearl for carnal swine.

And still be doing, never done.

And still be doing, never done.

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.