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 The sacred Dove a quill did lend
 From her high-soaring wing.  
 The sacred Dove a quill did lend
 From her high-soaring wing. 
 So far had the pen, under the king, the superiority over the 
sword.
 [Fr., Tant la plume a read more 
 So far had the pen, under the king, the superiority over the 
sword.
 [Fr., Tant la plume a eu sous le roi d'avantage sur l'epee.] 
 Let there be gall enough in thy ink, though thou write with a 
goose-pen, no matter.  
 Let there be gall enough in thy ink, though thou write with a 
goose-pen, no matter. 
 Art thou a pen, whose task shall be
 To drown in ink
  What writers think?
  read more 
 Art thou a pen, whose task shall be
 To drown in ink
  What writers think?
   Oh, wisely write,
    That pages white
     Be not the worse for ink and thee. 
 The pen wherewith thou dost so heavenly sing
 Made of a quill from an angel's wing.  
 The pen wherewith thou dost so heavenly sing
 Made of a quill from an angel's wing. 
 From this it appears how much more cruel the pen may be than the 
sword.
 [Lat., Hinc quam read more 
 From this it appears how much more cruel the pen may be than the 
sword.
 [Lat., Hinc quam sit calamus saevior euse, patet.] 
 Men of quality are in the wrong to undervalue, as they often do, 
the practise of a fair and read more 
 Men of quality are in the wrong to undervalue, as they often do, 
the practise of a fair and quick hand in writing; for it is no 
immaterial accomplishment.
 [Lat., Non sest aliena res, quae fere ab honestis negligi solet, 
cura bene ac velociter scribendi.] 
 The swifter hand doth the swift words outrun:
 Before the tongue hath spoke the hand hath done.  
 The swifter hand doth the swift words outrun:
 Before the tongue hath spoke the hand hath done. 
 If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest 
of men, I will find read more 
 If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest 
of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.
 [Fr., Qu'on me donne six lignes ecrites de la main du plus 
honnete homme, j'y trouverai de quoi le faire pendre.]