Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain:
Fought all his battles o'er again;
And thrice he read more

Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain:
Fought all his battles o'er again;
And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain.

Meek Nature's evening comment on the shows
That for oblivion that their daily birth
From all the read more

Meek Nature's evening comment on the shows
That for oblivion that their daily birth
From all the fuming vanities of earth.

And not a vanity is given in vain.

And not a vanity is given in vain.

Vanity keeps persons in favor with themselves who are out of favor with all others

Vanity keeps persons in favor with themselves who are out of favor with all others

The common practice of keeping up appearances with society is a mere selfish struggle of the vain with the vain.

The common practice of keeping up appearances with society is a mere selfish struggle of the vain with the vain.

Self-love is the greatest of all flatterers.

Self-love is the greatest of all flatterers.

Vanity is as ill as ease under indifference as tenderness is
under a love which it cannot return.

Vanity is as ill as ease under indifference as tenderness is
under a love which it cannot return.

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a
lie: to be laid in read more

Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a
lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than
vanity.

Vanity as an impulse has without doubt been of far more benefit to civilization than modesty has ever been.

Vanity as an impulse has without doubt been of far more benefit to civilization than modesty has ever been.