When I was one-and-twenty I heard a wise man say, `Give crowns and pounds and guineas But not your heart away; Give pearls away and rubies But keep your fancy free.' But I was one-and-twenty No use to talk to me. When I was one-and-twenty I heard him say again, `The heart out of the bosom Was never given in vain; 'Tis paid with sighs a plenty And sold for endless rue.' And I am two-and-twenty And oh, 'tis true, 'tis true.

Ten thousand times I've done my best and all's to do again.

Good religious poetry... is likely to be most justly appreciated and most discriminately relished by the undevout.

We now to peace and darkness And earth and thee restore Thy creature that thou madest And wilt cast forth no more.

I could no more define poetry than a terrier can define a rat.

Three minutes thought would suffice to find this out; but thought is irksome and three minutes is a long time.

Hope lies to mortals And most believe her, But man's deceiver Was never mine.