Who gives an empire, by the gift defeats All end of giving; and procures contempt Instead of gratitude.
Beautiful as sweet, And young as beautiful, and soft as young, And gay as soft, and innocent as gay!
Take God from nature, nothing great is left.
Like our shadows, our wishes lengthen as our sun declines.
At thirty, man suspects himself a fool; Knows it at forty, and reforms his plan.
They only babble who practise not reflection