In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my first years be past,
That I may give read more

In books, or work, or healthful play,
Let my first years be past,
That I may give for every day
Some good account at last.
- Isaac Watts,

Nowher so besy a man as he ther was,
And yet he semed bisier than he was.

Nowher so besy a man as he ther was,
And yet he semed bisier than he was.

Joy to the Toiler!--him that tills
The fields with Plenty crowned;
Him with the woodman's axe that read more

Joy to the Toiler!--him that tills
The fields with Plenty crowned;
Him with the woodman's axe that thrills
The wilderness profound.

By the way,
The works of women are symbolical.
We sew, sew, prick our fingers, dull out read more

By the way,
The works of women are symbolical.
We sew, sew, prick our fingers, dull out sight,
Producing what? A pair of slippers, sir,
To put on when you're weary--or a stool
To tumble over and vex you . . . curse that stool!
Or else at best, a cushion where you lean
And sleep, and dream of something we are not,
But would be for your sake. Alas, alas!
This hurts most, this . . . that, after all, we are paid
The worth of our work, perhaps.

Why do strong arms fatigue themselves with frivolous dumb-bells?
To dig a vineyard is a worthier exercise for men.

Why do strong arms fatigue themselves with frivolous dumb-bells?
To dig a vineyard is a worthier exercise for men.

A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three read more

A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened.

Work is the meat of life, pleasure the dessert.

Work is the meat of life, pleasure the dessert.

Work is a necessity for man. Man invented the alarm clock.

Work is a necessity for man. Man invented the alarm clock.

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.