Samuel Butler

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.

Your pettifoggers damn their souls,
To share with knaves in cheating fools.

Your pettifoggers damn their souls,
To share with knaves in cheating fools.

If he that in the field is slain
Be in the bed of honour lain,
He that read more

If he that in the field is slain
Be in the bed of honour lain,
He that is beaten may be said
To lie in Honour's truckle-bed.

His fear was greater than his haste:
For fear, though fleeter than the wind,
Believes 'tis always read more

His fear was greater than his haste:
For fear, though fleeter than the wind,
Believes 'tis always left behind.

For now the field is not far off
Where we must give the world a proof
Of read more

For now the field is not far off
Where we must give the world a proof
Of deeds, not words.