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The world’s a scene of changes.

Abraham Cowley

Does not the passage of Moses and the Israelites into the Holy Land yield incomparably more poetic variety than the voyages of Ulysses or Aeneas?
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Aenea Bible Holy Incomparably More Mose Passage Poetic Yield
Acquaintance I would have, but when it depends; not on number, but the choice of friends.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Acquaintance Choice Depend Friendship Number
Nothing so soon the drooping spirits can raise As praises from the men, whom all men praise.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Drooping Encouragement Hard Praise Spirit Work
It is a hard and nice subject for a man to speak of himself: it grates his own heart to say anything of disparagement, and the reader’s ear to hear anything of praise from him.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Disparagement Hard Heart Man Nice Speak Subject
Nay, in death’s hand, the grape-stone proves As strong as thunder is in Jove’s.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Hand Jove Prove Stone Strong Thunder
Curiosity does, no less than devotion, pilgrims make.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Curiosity Devotion Doe Less Pilgrim
This only grant me, that my means may lie, too low for envy, for contempt to high.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Contempt Envy Grant High Lying Mean
Vain, weak-built isthmus, which dost proudly rise Up between two eternities!
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Build Eternity Isthmus Life Proudly Two
Why dost thou build up stately rooms on high, Thou who art under ground to lie? Thou sow’st and plantest, but no fruit must see, For death, alas! is reaping thee.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Build Fruit Ground m Strategy Plantest Under
Poets by Death are conquer’d but the wit Of poets triumphs over it.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Conquer Death Over Poet Triumph
Coy Nature, (which remain’d, though aged grown, A beauteous virgin still, enjoy’d by none, Nor seen unveil’d by anyone),
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Anyone Enjoy Nature Passion Science Still Virgin
Both wise, and both delightful too. And since Love ne’er will from me flee, A mistress moderately fair, And good as Guardian angels are, Only belov’d and loving me.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Delightful Flee From Guardian Moderate Since Wise
I confess I love littleness almost in all things. A little convenient estate, a little cheerful house, a little company, and a little feast.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Cheerful Company Confess Convenient Estate House Little
In fields d’or or d’argent; but, if heraldry were guided by reason, a plough in a field arable would be the most noble and ancient arms.”
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Ancient Field Guided Heraldry Noble Plough Reason
Life for delays and doubts no time does give, None ever yet made haste enough to live.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Doubt. Time Enough Giving Life
Curs’d be that wretch (Death’s factor sure) who brought Dire swords into the peaceful world, and taught Smiths (who before could only make.
ABRAHAM COWLEY

Art Fate Man Money Present Wise

The world’s a scene of changes.

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The world’s a scene of changes.

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