But all's to no end, for the time will not mend
Till the King enjoys his own again.

But all's to no end, for the time will not mend
Till the King enjoys his own again.

That the king can do no wrong is a necessary and fundamental
principle of the English constitution.

That the king can do no wrong is a necessary and fundamental
principle of the English constitution.

A partial world will list to my lays,
While Anna reigns, and sets a female name
Unrival'd read more

A partial world will list to my lays,
While Anna reigns, and sets a female name
Unrival'd in the glorious lists of fame.

God bless the King--I mean the faith's defender;
God bless (no harm in blessing) the pretender;
But read more

God bless the King--I mean the faith's defender;
God bless (no harm in blessing) the pretender;
But who the pretender is, or who is King--
God bless us all--that's quite another thing.

For God's sake let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings!
read more

For God's sake let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings!
How some have been deposed, some slain in war,
Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed,
Some poisoned by their wives, some sleeping killed--
All murdered; for within the hollow crown
That rounds the mortal temples of a king
Keeps Death his court; and there the antic sits,
Scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp;
Allowing him a breath, a little scene,
To monarchize, be feared, and kill with looks;
Infusing him with self and vain conceit,
As if this flesh which walls about our life
Were brass impregnable; and humored thus,
Comes at the last, and with a little pin
Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king!
Cover your heads, and mock not flesh and blood
With solemn reverence, Throw away respect,
Tradition, form, and ceremonious duty;
For you have but mistook me all this while.
I live with bread like you, feel want, taste grief,
Need friends. Subjected thus,

Here lies our sovereign lord, the king,
Whose word no man relives on,
Who never said a read more

Here lies our sovereign lord, the king,
Whose word no man relives on,
Who never said a foolish thing,
And never did a wise one.

A prince, the moment he is crown'd,
Inherits every virtue sound,
As emblems of the sovereign power,
read more

A prince, the moment he is crown'd,
Inherits every virtue sound,
As emblems of the sovereign power,
Like other baubles in the Tower:
Is generous, valiant, just, and wise,
And so continues till he dies.

I am the State.
[Fr., L'etat c'est moi.]

I am the State.
[Fr., L'etat c'est moi.]

The first art to be learned by a ruler is to endure envy.
[Lat., Ars prima regni posse te read more

The first art to be learned by a ruler is to endure envy.
[Lat., Ars prima regni posse te invidiam pati.]