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 The feather, whence the pen
 Was shaped that traced the lives of these good men,
  Dropped from read more 
 The feather, whence the pen
 Was shaped that traced the lives of these good men,
  Dropped from an Angel's wing. 
 You write with ease, to show your breeding,
 But easy writing's curst hard reading.  
 You write with ease, to show your breeding,
 But easy writing's curst hard reading. 
 Goose [pen] bee [wax] and calf [parchment] govern the world.
 [Lat., Anser, apie, vitellus, populus et regna gubernant.]  
 Goose [pen] bee [wax] and calf [parchment] govern the world.
 [Lat., Anser, apie, vitellus, populus et regna gubernant.] 
 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.] 
 Whose noble praise
 Deserves a quill pluckt from an angel's wing.  
 Whose noble praise
 Deserves a quill pluckt from an angel's wing. 
 Oh! nature's noblest gift--my gray-goose quill!
 Slave of my thoughts, obedient to my will,
  Torn from thy read more 
 Oh! nature's noblest gift--my gray-goose quill!
 Slave of my thoughts, obedient to my will,
  Torn from thy parent-bird to form a pen,
   That might instrument of little men! 
The pen became a clarion.
The pen became a clarion.
 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.] 
 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.