There is a history in all men's lives,
Figuring the nature of the times deceased,
The which read more

There is a history in all men's lives,
Figuring the nature of the times deceased,
The which observed, a man may prophesy,
With a near aim, of the main chance of things
As yet not come to life, which in their seeds
And weak beginnings lie intreasured.

A tunnel underneath the sea from Calais straight to Dover, Sir,
The squeamish folks may cross by land from read more

A tunnel underneath the sea from Calais straight to Dover, Sir,
The squeamish folks may cross by land from shore to shore,
With sluices made to drown the French, if e'er they would come
over, Sir,
Has long been talk'd of, till at length 'tis thought a monstrous
bore.

O my prophetic soul!
My uncle?

O my prophetic soul!
My uncle?

From hence, no question, has sprung an observation
. . . confirmed now into a settled opinion, that some read more

From hence, no question, has sprung an observation
. . . confirmed now into a settled opinion, that some long
experienced souls in the world, before their dislodging, arrive
to the height of prophetic spirit.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

The prophet's mantle, ere his flight began,
Dropt on the world--a sacred gift to man.

The prophet's mantle, ere his flight began,
Dropt on the world--a sacred gift to man.

Prophet of evil! never hadst thou yet
A cheerful word for me. To mark the signs
Of read more

Prophet of evil! never hadst thou yet
A cheerful word for me. To mark the signs
Of coming mischief is thy great delight,
Good dost thou ne'er foretell nor bring to pass.

Till old experience do attain
To something like prophetic strain.

Till old experience do attain
To something like prophetic strain.

Be thou the rainbow to the storms of life!
The evening beam that smiles the clouds away,
read more

Be thou the rainbow to the storms of life!
The evening beam that smiles the clouds away,
And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray!