Or impotent, or, else approving, sees Grief, and Of life impatient, into madness swells, These, and a thousand mixed emotions more, From everchanging views of good and ill, Form'd infinitely various, vex the mind With endless storm; whence deeply rankling, grows The partial thought, a listless unconcern, Cold and averting from our neighbour's good, Then dark Disgust, and Hatred, minding Wiles, Coward Deceit, and ruffian Violence : course. PRIDE. POLLOK. PRIDE, self-adoring pride, was primal cause Of all sin past, all pain, all wo to come. Unconquerable pride! first, eldest Sin, Great fountain-head of evil! highest source, Whence flowed rebellion 'gainst the Omnipotent, Whence hate of man to man, and all else ill. Pride at the bottom of the human heart Lay, and gave root and nourishment to all That grew above. Great ancestor of vice! Hate, unbelief, and blasphemy of God; AMBITION. P. FLETCHER. NEXT brave Philotimus in post did ride, Like rising ladders was his climbing mind; His high-flown thoughts, had wings of courtly pride, Which by foul rise to greatest height inclin'd; His heart aspiring swell'd until it burst; But when he gain'd the top, with spite accurst, Down would he fling the steps by which he clamber'd first. His head's a shop furnish'd with looms of state: His brain the weaver, thoughts are shuttles light, With which, in spite of heav'n, he weaves his fate; Honour his web: thus works he day and night, Till fates cut off his thread; so heapeth sins, And plagues, nor once enjoys the place he wins; But where his old race ends, there his new race begins. Ah, silly man, who dream'st that honour stands In ruling others, not thyself!-thy slaves Serve thee, and thou thy slaves:-in iron bands Harness'd with massy steel, for fence, not His sword unseemly long he ready drew: Full many mischiefs follow cruell wrath; The swelling splene,and frenzy raging rife, The shaking palsey, and Saint Fraunces' fire, Such one was Wrath, the fifth of this ungodly tire. FEAR. P. FLETCHER. NEXT to the captain coward Deilos far'd He shrieks at ev'ry danger that appears, Shaming the knightly arms he goodly bears: nothing fears. DOUBT. P. FLETCHER. WITH him went Doubt, stagg'ring with steps unsure; That every way and neither way inclin'd; secure: Suspicion lean, as if he never din'd: CONTRARITIES IN MAN. YOUNG. How poor, how rich, how abject, how august, Who center'd in our make such strange extremes A worm! a god! I tremble at myself, Triumphantly distress'd! what joy! what dread ! What can preserve my life, or what destroy! |