William Cowper

Habits of close attention, thinking heads,
Become more rare as dissipation spreads,
Till authors hear at length read more

Habits of close attention, thinking heads,
Become more rare as dissipation spreads,
Till authors hear at length one general cry
Tickle and entertain us, or we die!

Whoever keeps an open ear
For tattlers will be sure to hear
The trumpet of contention.

Whoever keeps an open ear
For tattlers will be sure to hear
The trumpet of contention.

How fleet is a glance of the mind!
Compared with the speed of its flight,
The tempest read more

How fleet is a glance of the mind!
Compared with the speed of its flight,
The tempest itself lags behind,
And the swift-winged arrows of light.

Would I describe a preacher,
. . . .
I would express him simple, grave, sincere;
read more

Would I describe a preacher,
. . . .
I would express him simple, grave, sincere;
In doctrine uncorrupt; in language plain,
And plain in manner; decent, solemn, chaste,
And natural in gesture; much impress'd
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge,
And anxious mainly that the flock he feeds
May feel it too; affectionate in look,
And tender in address, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men.

Here the heart
May give a useful lesson to the head,
And learning wiser grow without his read more

Here the heart
May give a useful lesson to the head,
And learning wiser grow without his books.