What heart can think, or tongue express,
The harm that groweth of idleness?

What heart can think, or tongue express,
The harm that groweth of idleness?

Valor, gradually overpowered by the delicious poison of sloth,
grows torpid.
[Lat., Blandoque veneno
Desidiae virtus read more

Valor, gradually overpowered by the delicious poison of sloth,
grows torpid.
[Lat., Blandoque veneno
Desidiae virtus paullatim evicta senescit.]

Gloomy calm of idle vacancy.

Gloomy calm of idle vacancy.

That destructive siren, sloth, is ever to be avoided.
[Lat., Vitanda est improba--desidia.]

That destructive siren, sloth, is ever to be avoided.
[Lat., Vitanda est improba--desidia.]

Busy idleness urges us on.
[Lat., Strenua nos exercet inertia.]

Busy idleness urges us on.
[Lat., Strenua nos exercet inertia.]

You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by. Yes, but some of them are golden only read more

You must have been warned against letting the golden hours slip by. Yes, but some of them are golden only because we let them slip.

I was raised to feel that doing nothing was a sin. I had to
learn to do nothing.

I was raised to feel that doing nothing was a sin. I had to
learn to do nothing.

A man's real worth is determined by what he does when he has nothing to do.

A man's real worth is determined by what he does when he has nothing to do.

Were't not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honored love,
I rather read more

Were't not affection chains thy tender days
To the sweet glances of thy honored love,
I rather would entreat thy company
To see the wonders of the world abroad
Than, living dully sluggardized at home,
Wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.