Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and
hatred therewith.

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and
hatred therewith.

Some men are born to feast, and not to fight;
Whose sluggish minds, e'en in fair honor's field,
read more

Some men are born to feast, and not to fight;
Whose sluggish minds, e'en in fair honor's field,
Still on their dinner turn--
Let such pot-boiling varlets stay at home,
And wield a flesh-hook rather than a sword.

But that our feasts
In every mess have folly, and the feeders
Digest it with a custom, read more

But that our feasts
In every mess have folly, and the feeders
Digest it with a custom, I should blush
To see you so attired, swoon, I think,
To show myself a glass.

Acorns were good till bread was found.

Acorns were good till bread was found.

What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?

What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?

The master of art or giver of wit,
Their belly.

The master of art or giver of wit,
Their belly.

Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them.

Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them.

A friendly swarry, consisting of a boiled leg of mutton with the
usual trimmings.

A friendly swarry, consisting of a boiled leg of mutton with the
usual trimmings.

When the Sultan Shah-Zaman
Goes to the city Ispahan,
Even before he gets so far
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When the Sultan Shah-Zaman
Goes to the city Ispahan,
Even before he gets so far
As the place where the clustered palm-trees are,
At the last of the thirty palace-gates
The pet of the harem, Rose-in-Bloom,
Orders a feast in his favorite room--
Glittering square of colored ice,
Sweetened with syrup, tinctured with spice,
Creams, and cordials, and sugared dates,
Syrian apples, Othmanee quinces,
Limes and citrons and apricots,
And wines that are known to Eastern princes.