Methinks I am a prophet new inspired
And thus, expiring, do foretell of him:
His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last,
For violent fires soon burn out themselves;
Small show'rs last long, but sudden storms are short;
He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes;
With eager feeding doth choke the feeder;
Light vanity, insatiate cormorant,
Consuming means, soon preys upon itself.
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It is difficult to esteem a man as highly as he would wish.
[Fr., Il est difficile d'estimer quelqu'un read more
It is difficult to esteem a man as highly as he would wish.
[Fr., Il est difficile d'estimer quelqu'un comme il veut l'etre.]
We say little if not egged on by vanity.
[Fr., On parle peu quand la vanite ne fait pas read more
We say little if not egged on by vanity.
[Fr., On parle peu quand la vanite ne fait pas parler.]
As far as could ken thy chalky cliffs,
When from thy shore the tempest beat us back,
read more
As far as could ken thy chalky cliffs,
When from thy shore the tempest beat us back,
I stood upon the hatches in the storm,
And when the dusky sky began to rob
My earnest-gaping sight of thy land's view,
I took a costly jewel from my neck,
A heart it was, bound in with diamonds,
And threw it toward thy land.
Bursts as a wave that from the clouds impends,
And swell'd with tempests on the ship descends;
read more
Bursts as a wave that from the clouds impends,
And swell'd with tempests on the ship descends;
White are the decks with foam; the winds aloud
Howl o'er the masts, and sing through every shroud:
Pale, trembling, tir'd, the sailors freeze with fears;
And instant death on every wave appears.
Our vanity is hardest to wound precisely when our pride has just been wounded.rn
Our vanity is hardest to wound precisely when our pride has just been wounded.rn
Rome took all the vanity out of me; for after seeing the wonders there, I felt too insignificant to live, read more
Rome took all the vanity out of me; for after seeing the wonders there, I felt too insignificant to live, and gave up all my foolish hopes in despair.
Where doth the world thrust forth a vanity
(So it be new, there's no respect how vile)
read more
Where doth the world thrust forth a vanity
(So it be new, there's no respect how vile)
That is not quickly buzzed into his ears?
Vanity is so secure in the heart of man that everyone wants to be admired: even I who write this, read more
Vanity is so secure in the heart of man that everyone wants to be admired: even I who write this, and you who read this.
For many years I was self-appointed inspector of snow-storms and
rain-storms and did my duty faithfully.
For many years I was self-appointed inspector of snow-storms and
rain-storms and did my duty faithfully.
