l young and lovely!
Bagdad did not possess such a maiden, nor did poet ever paint a fairer
form! Abad thought her nothing inferior to the Houris of Paradise. She
fulfilled every expectation through a long and virtuous life, during
which time they enjoyed the ill-gotten wealth of the ranger band; and,
although the splendour of their living was exceeded only by that of the
Caliph's, they were bountiful to their dependents: they built an asylum
for the destitute--were universally beloved and respected--and their
magnificence was only surpassed by their benevolence!
CYMBELINE.
* * * * *
OLD POETS.
* * * * *
SHAME.
Shame sticks ever close to the ribs of honour,
Great men are never found after it:
It leaves some ache or other in their names still,
Which their posterity feels at ev'ry weather.
MIDDLETON.
* * * * *
PARENTS.
From damned deeds abstain,
From lawless riots and from pleasure's vain;
If not regarding of thy own degree,
Yet in behalf of thy posterity.
For we are docible to imitate.
Depraved pleasures though degenerate.
Be careful therefore least thy son admit
By ear or eye things filthy or unfit.
LODGE.
* * * * *
SIN.
Shame follows sin, disgrace is daily given,
Impiety will out, never so closely done,
No walls can hide us from the eye of heaven,
For shame must end what wickedness begun,
Forth breaks reproach when we least think thereon.
DANIELL.
* * * * *
WISDOM.
A wise man poor
Is like a sacred book that's never read,
T' himself he lives, and to all else seems dead.
This age thinks better of a gilded fool,
Than of thread-bare saint in Wisdom's school
DEKKAR.
* * * * *
CHARITY.
She was a woman in the freshest age,
Of wondrous beauty, and of bounty rare,
With goodly grace, and comely personage.
That was on earth not easy to compare,
Full of great love; but Cupid's wanton snare
As hell she hated, chaste in work and will,
Her neck and breast were ever open bare,
That aye thereof her babes might suck their fill,
The rest was all in yellow robes arrayed still,
A multitude of babes about her hung,
Playing their sports that joyed her to behold,
Whom still she fed,
|