The Natural Clock-work by the might One
Wound up at first, and ever since have gone.

The Natural Clock-work by the might One
Wound up at first, and ever since have gone.

Live ye, he says, I flee.

Live ye, he says, I flee.

Hours fly,
Flowers die.
New days,
New ways,
Pass by.
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Hours fly,
Flowers die.
New days,
New ways,
Pass by.
Love stays.

O God! methinks it were a happy life
To be no better than a homely swain;
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O God! methinks it were a happy life
To be no better than a homely swain;
To sit upon a hill, as I do now,
To carve out dials, quaintly, point by point,
Thereby to see the minutes, how they run--
How many makes the hour full complete,
How many hours brings about the day,
How many days will finish up the year,
How many years a mortal man may live;
When this is known, then to divide the times--
So many hours must I tend my flock,
So many hours must I take my rest,
So many hours must I contemplate,
So many hours must I sport myself;
So many days my ewes have been with young,
So many weeks ere the poor fools will ean,
So many months ere I shall shear the fleece.
So minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years,
Passed over to the end they were created,
Would bring white hairs unto a quiet grave.
Ah, what a life were this!

I count only the hours that are serene.
[Lat., Horas non numero nisi serenas.]

I count only the hours that are serene.
[Lat., Horas non numero nisi serenas.]

True as the needle to the pole,
Or as the dial to the sun.

True as the needle to the pole,
Or as the dial to the sun.

Give God thy heart, thy service, and thy gold; The day wears on,
and time is waxing old.
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Give God thy heart, thy service, and thy gold; The day wears on,
and time is waxing old.
- Unattributed Author,

Once at a potent leader's voice I stayed;
Once I went back when a good monarch prayed;
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Once at a potent leader's voice I stayed;
Once I went back when a good monarch prayed;
Mortals, howe'er we grieve, howe'er deplore,
The flying shadow will return no more.

As the long hours do pass away,
So doth the life of man decay.

As the long hours do pass away,
So doth the life of man decay.