He nothing common did, or mean, / Upon that memorable scene, / But with his keener eye / The axe's edge did try.

Now therefore, while the youthful hue Sits on thy skin like morning dew, And while thy willing soul transpires At every pore with instant fires Now let us sport us while we may, And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour Than languish in his slow-chapped power. Let us roll our strength and all Our sweetness up into one ball And tear our pleasures with rough strife Through the iron gates of life: Thus, while we cannot make our sun Stand still, yet we will make him run.

Self-preservation, nature's first great law, all the creatures, except man, doth awe.

The world in all doth but two nations bear- The good, the bad; and these mixed everywhere.

Annihilating all that's made, To a green thought in a green shade.

My vegetable love should grow Vaster than empires, and more slow.

Now let us sport us while we may; And now, like amorous birds of prey, Rather at once our time devour, Than languish in his slow-chapped power.