Samuel Butler

Ay me! what perils do environ
The man that meddles with cold iron!

Ay me! what perils do environ
The man that meddles with cold iron!

The truest characters of ignorance are vanity, and pride and arrogance.

The truest characters of ignorance are vanity, and pride and arrogance.

What makes all doctrines plain and clear?--
About two hundred pounds a year.
And that which was read more

What makes all doctrines plain and clear?--
About two hundred pounds a year.
And that which was prov'd true before
Prove false again? Two hundred more.

Though wisdom cannot be gotten with gold, still less can it be gotten without it.

Though wisdom cannot be gotten with gold, still less can it be gotten without it.

Beside, he was a shrewd philosopher,
And had read ev'ry text and gloss over
Whate'er the crabbed'st read more

Beside, he was a shrewd philosopher,
And had read ev'ry text and gloss over
Whate'er the crabbed'st author hath,
He understood b' implicit faith.