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النشر الإلكتروني

And, like a shifted wind unto a sail,

It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about;
Startles and frights consideration;

Makes sound opinion sick, and truth suspected,
For putting on so new a fashion'd robe.

5

The future anticipated by the past.

There is a history in all men's lives,

16-iv. 2.

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.

6

Wise men superior to woes.

19-iii. 1.

Wise men ne'er wail their present woes, But presently prevent the ways to wail.

To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength,
Gives, in your weakness, strength unto your foe,
And so your follies fight against yourself. 17-iii. 2.

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Patience, unmoved, no marvel though she pause;
They can be meek, that have no other cause.e
A wretched soul, bruised with adversity,
We bid be quiet, when we hear it cry;

But were we burden'd with like weight of pain,
As much, or more, we should ourselves complain.

8

Men's last words to be regarded.

The tongues of dying men

Enforce attention like deep harmony;

14-ii. 1.

Where words are scarce, they are seldom spent in vain,

For they breathe truth, that breathe their words in pain.

He, that no more must say, is listen'd more

Than they, whom youth and ease have taught to glose ;f

More are men's ends mark'd, than their lives before: The setting sun, and music at the close,

d To pause is to rest, to be in quiet.

e i.e. Who have no cause to be otherwise.

f Flatter.

As the last taste of sweets, is sweetest last;
Writ in remembrance, more than things long past.

Self-interest, its influence.

Commodity, the bias of the world;
The world, who of itself is peised well,
Made to run even, upon even ground;
Till this advantage, this vile drawing bias,
This sway of motion, this commodity,
Makes it take head from all indifferency,
From all direction, purpose, course, intent.

10

Assured wisdom.

17-ii. 1.

16-ii. 2.

They say, miracles are past; and we have our philosophical persons, to make modern1 and familiar things, supernatural and causeless. Hence is it, that we make trifles of terrors; ensconcing ourselves into seeming knowledge, when we should submit ourselves to an unknown fear.k

11 Blessings undervalued, till irrecoverable.

Love, that comes too late,

Like a remorseful pardon slowly carried,

To the great sender turns a sour offence,

11-ii. 3.

Crying, That's good, that's gone: our rash faults
Make trivial price of serious things we have,
Not knowing them, until we know their grave:
Oft our displeasures, to ourselves unjust,
Destroy our friends, and after weep their dust.

12

Wishes, unsubstantial.

'Tis pity

That wishing well had not a body in't,

11-v. 3.

Which might be felt that we, the poorer born,
Whose baser stars do shut us up in wishes,
Might with effects of them follow our friends,
And shew what we alone must think; which ne'er
Returns us thanks.

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g Self-interest.

i Ordinary.

h Poised, balanced.
k Fear means here, the object of fear.
i.e. And shew by realities what we now must only think.

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Though those, that are betray'd,

Do feel the treason sharply, yet the traitor
Stands in worse case of woe.

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To persevere

31-iii. 4.

In obstinate condolement," is a course

Of impious stubbornness; 'tis unmanly grief :
It shews a will most incorrect" to heaven;

A heart unfortified, or mind impatient;

An understanding simple and unschool'd. 36-i. 2.

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Blessed be those,

How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills,
Which seasons comfort.P

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31-i. 7.

As surfeit is the father of much fast,
So every scope by the immoderate use
Turns to restraint: Our natures do pursue
(Like rats that raving down their proper bane)
À thirsty evil, and when we drink, we die.

17

Elevation, exposed to censure.

5-i. 3.

O place and greatness, millions of false eyes
Are stuck upon thee! volumes of report
Run with these false and most contrarious quests"
Upon thy doings! thousand 'scapes of wit
Make thee the father of their idle dream,
And rack thee in their fancies!

18

Human actions viewed by Heaven.

If pow'rs divine

Behold our human actions, (as they do,)
I doubt not then, but innocence shall make
False accusation blush, and tyranny
Tremble at patience.

m Condolement, for sorrow. o 1 Thess. iv. 13.

1 Voraciously devour.

5-iv. 1.

13-iii. 2.

n Incorrect, for untutored.
p 1 Tim. vi. 6.
s Sallies.

r Inquisitions, inquiries.

19

Certainty of Death.

That we shall die, we know; 'tis but the time,
And drawing days out, that men stand upon.

20

The value of Virtue.

29-iii. 1.

The honour of a maid is her name; and no legacy is so rich as honesty.

21

Desertion.

The service of the foot

11-iii. 5.

Being once gangrened, is not then respected
For what before it was.

22

Durabillity of Fame.

28-iii. 1.

Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live register'd upon our brazen tombs,
And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spite of cormorant devouring Time,
Th' endeavour of this present breath may buy
That honour, which shall bate his scythe's keen edge,
And make us heirs of all eternity.t
8-i. 1.

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Honours best thrive,

When rather from our acts we them derive
Than our fore-goers: the mere word 's a slave,
Debauch'd on every tomb; on every grave,
A lying trophy, and as oft is dumb,

Where dust, and damn'd oblivion, is the tomb
Of honour'd bones indeed.

24

Confidence, not to be placed in man.

O momentary grace of mortal men,

11-ii. 3.

Which we more hunt for than the grace of God!
Who builds his hope in air of your fair looks,

Lives like a drunken sailor on a mast;

Ready, with every nod, to tumble down

Into the fatal bowels of the deep.

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24-iii. 4.

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For fear of what might fall, so to prevent"
The time of life:-(arming myself with patience)
To stay the providence of some high powers,
That govern us below.

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29-v. 1.

There is so great a fever on goodness, that the dissolution of it must cure it: novelty is only in request; and it is as dangerous to be aged in any kind of course, as it is virtuous to be constant in any undertaking. There is scarce truth enough alive, to make societies secure; but security enough to make fellowships accursed: much upon this riddle runs the wisdom of the world.

5-iii. 2.

27

Miracles and means.

Miracles are ceased;

And therefore we must needs admit the means,
How things are perfected.

28

The apprehension of evils.

20-i. 1.

Doubting things go ill, often hurts more
Than to be sure they do: For certainties
Either are past remedies: or, timely knowing,
The remedy then born.

31-i. 7.

29

Sincerity.

0 I hold it cowardice

To rest mistrustful, where a noble heart
Hath pawn'd an open hand in sign of love.

30

The effects of Sorrow.

Sorrow breaks seasons and reposing hours,

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Makes the night morning, and the noon-tide night.
Princes have but their titles for their glories,
An outward honour for an inward toil;

And, for unfelt imaginations,

They often feel a world of restless_cares :
So that, between their titles, and low name,
There's nothing differs but the outward fame.

u To anticipate.

24-i. 4.

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