William Cowper

A story, in which native humour reigns,
Is often useful, always entertains;
A graver fact, enlisted on read more

A story, in which native humour reigns,
Is often useful, always entertains;
A graver fact, enlisted on your side,
May furnish illustration, well applied;
But sedentary weavers of long tales
Give me the fidgets, and my patience fails.

By low ambition and the thirst of praise.

By low ambition and the thirst of praise.

How shall I speak thee, or thy power address
Thou God of our idolatry, the Press.
. read more

How shall I speak thee, or thy power address
Thou God of our idolatry, the Press.
. . . .
Like Eden's dead probationary tree,
Knowledge of good and evil is from thee.

Wit, now and then, struck smartly, shows a spark.

Wit, now and then, struck smartly, shows a spark.

Call'd to the temple of impure delight
He that abstains, and he alone, does right.
If a read more

Call'd to the temple of impure delight
He that abstains, and he alone, does right.
If a wish wander that way, call it home;
He cannot long be safe whose wishes roam.