Ah, yet, e'er I descend to th' grave,
May I a small House and a large Garden have.
read more

Ah, yet, e'er I descend to th' grave,
May I a small House and a large Garden have.
And a few Friends, and many Books both true,
Both wise, and both delightful too.
And since Love ne'er will from me flee,
A mistress moderately fair,
And good as Guardian angels are,
Only belov'd and loving me.

When I behold what pleasure is Pursuit,
What life, what glorious eagerness it is,
Then mark how read more

When I behold what pleasure is Pursuit,
What life, what glorious eagerness it is,
Then mark how full Possession falls from this,
How fairer seems the blossom than the fruit,--
I am perplext, and often stricken mute.
Wondering which attained the higher bliss,
The wing'd insect, or the chrysalis
It thrust aside with unreluctant foot.

Of a rich man who was mean and niggardly, he said, "That man does
not possess his estate, but read more

Of a rich man who was mean and niggardly, he said, "That man does
not possess his estate, but his estate possesses him."

The English, a spirited nation, claim the empire of the sea; the
French, a calmer nation, claim that of read more

The English, a spirited nation, claim the empire of the sea; the
French, a calmer nation, claim that of the air.
[Fr., Les Anglais, nation trop fiere
S'arrogent l'empire des mers;
Les Francais, nation legere,
S'emparent de celui des airs.]

Britannia needs no bulwarks
No towers along the steep;
Her march is o'er the mountain wave,
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Britannia needs no bulwarks
No towers along the steep;
Her march is o'er the mountain wave,
Her home is on the deep.

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is
thine eye evil, because read more

Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is
thine eye evil, because I am good?

Cleon hath ten thousand acres,--
Ne'er a one have I;
Cleon dwelleth in a place,--
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Cleon hath ten thousand acres,--
Ne'er a one have I;
Cleon dwelleth in a place,--
In a cottage I.

Providence has given to the French the empire of the land, to the
English that of the sea, to read more

Providence has given to the French the empire of the land, to the
English that of the sea, to the Germans that of--the air!

It may be said of them [the Hollanders], as of the Spaniards,
that the sun never sets upon their read more

It may be said of them [the Hollanders], as of the Spaniards,
that the sun never sets upon their Dominions.