Wouldst thou both eat thy cake and have it?

Wouldst thou both eat thy cake and have it?

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."

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.

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.

Exclusive property is a theft against nature.
[Fr., La propriete exclusive est un vol dans la nature.]

Exclusive property is a theft against nature.
[Fr., La propriete exclusive est un vol dans la nature.]

Britannia needs no bulwarks
No towers along the steep;
Her march is o'er the mountain wave,
read more

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

How could there be any question of acquiring or possessing, when the one thing needful for a man is to read more

How could there be any question of acquiring or possessing, when the one thing needful for a man is to become - to be at last, and to die in the fullness of his being.

I die,--but first I have possess'd,
And come what may, I have been bless'd.

I die,--but first I have possess'd,
And come what may, I have been bless'd.

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.]