Beneath the rule of men entirely great
The pen is mightier than the sword.

Beneath the rule of men entirely great
The pen is mightier than the sword.

The swifter hand doth the swift words outrun:
Before the tongue hath spoke the hand hath done.

The swifter hand doth the swift words outrun:
Before the tongue hath spoke the hand hath done.

Let there be gall enough in thy ink, though thou write with a
goose-pen, no matter.

Let there be gall enough in thy ink, though thou write with a
goose-pen, no matter.

From this it appears how much more cruel the pen may be than the
sword.
[Lat., Hinc quam read more

From this it appears how much more cruel the pen may be than the
sword.
[Lat., Hinc quam sit calamus saevior euse, patet.]

The pen became a clarion.

The pen became a clarion.

You write with ease, to show your breeding,
But easy writing's curst hard reading.

You write with ease, to show your breeding,
But easy writing's curst hard reading.

If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest
of men, I will find read more

If you give me six lines written by the hand of the most honest
of men, I will find something in them which will hang him.
[Fr., Qu'on me donne six lignes ecrites de la main du plus
honnete homme, j'y trouverai de quoi le faire pendre.]

Oh! nature's noblest gift--my gray-goose quill!
Slave of my thoughts, obedient to my will,
Torn from thy read more

Oh! nature's noblest gift--my gray-goose quill!
Slave of my thoughts, obedient to my will,
Torn from thy parent-bird to form a pen,
That might instrument of little men!

For what made that in glory shine so long
But poets' Pens, pluckt from Archangels' wings?

For what made that in glory shine so long
But poets' Pens, pluckt from Archangels' wings?