"Ho here! Ho there! Has no man seen On the king's gate the moss grew gray; The king came not. They called him dead; And made his eldest son one day Slave in his father's stead. Helen Hunt Jackson [1831-1885] THE CHARACTER OF A HAPPY LIFE How happy is he born and taught Whose passions not his masters are; Of public fame or private breath; Who envies none that chance doth raise, Who hath his life from rumors freed; Who God doth late and early pray And entertains the harmless day With a well-chosen book or friend; -This man is freed from servile bands Henry Wollon [1568-1639] "MY MIND TO ME A KINGDOM IS" My mind to me a kingdom is, Such present joys therein I find, That it excels all other bliss That earth affords or grows by kind: Though much I want which most would have, Yet still my mind forbids to crave. No princely pomp, no wealthy store, No force to win the victory, No wily wit to salve a sore, No shape to feed a loving eye; To none of these I yield as thrall: For why? My mind doth serve for all. I see how plenty [surfeits] oft, And hasty climbers soon do fall; Content to live, this is my stay; I seek no more than may suffice; Some have too much, yet still do crave; They are but poor, though much they have, They poor, I rich; they beg, I give; I laugh not at another's loss; I grudge not at another's gain; I fear no foe, I fawn no friend; I loathe not life, nor dread my end. Some weigh their pleasure by their lust, A cloaked craft their store of skill: My wealth is health and perfect ease; Would all did so as well as I! Edward Dyer [15502-1607] WRITTEN AT AN INN AT HENLEY To thee, fair freedom! I retire From flattery, cards, and dice, and din; Nor art thou found in mansions higher Than the low cot, or humble inn. 'Tis here with boundless power I reign; I fly from pomp, I fly from plate! And choose my lodgings at an inn. Here, waiter! take my sordid ore, Whoe er has traveled life's dull round, CARELESS CONTENT I AM content, I do not care, Wag as it will the world for me! With more of thanks and less of thought With good and gently-humored hearts I choose to chat where'er I come, I hold my tongue to tell the troth, For chance or change of peace or pain, I never dodge nor up nor down, I suit not where I shall not speed, For shining wealth or scaring woe Of ups and downs, of ins and outs, Of they're-i'-th'-wrong and we're-i'-th'-right, I shun the rancors and the routs; And, wishing well to every wight, With whom I feast I do not fawn, If wonted welcome be withdrawn I cook no kind of a complaint. Not that I rate myself the rule How all my betters should behave; Fond of a true and trusty tie, I talk thereon just as I think; If names or notions make a noise, Whatever hap the question hath The point impartially I poise, And read and write, but without wrath; For, should I burn or break my brains, Pray, who will pay me for my pains? I love my neighbor as myself— Myself like him too, by his leave! Nor to his pleasure, power or pelf Came I to crouch, as I conceive! |