My father's old, what then? Age, like a caterpillar, Will crawl upon the leaves of a young tree Till it has eaten away all its beauty; And I'll not wafte my golden youth in bondage To a proud flave. Crown's Ambitious Statefman. Oh, fir! my reafon is not dim with age, Whate'er my eyes are; time which steals our fight, Is for the thievery by nature fin'd, To make us recompence in inward light. Crown's Thyeftes. OPINION. Opinion's but a fool, that makes us fcan Shakespear's Pericles. Opinion, the blind goddefs of fools, foe Chapman's Widow's Tears. O malcontent, feducing gueft, Daniel's Cleopatra. Whilft great men do, as tofs'd on th'ocean, groan, If If they but chance to view fome few more blest ; E. of Sterline's Alexandrean Tragedy. Dr. Donne. Who gets th'opinion of a virtuous name, Middleton's Mad World my Mafters. Let not opinion make thy judgment err; Opinion is that high and mighty dame Lady Alimony. Which rules the world; and in the mind doth frame How can you reft where pow'r is still alarm'd : Howel. Sir W. Davenant to the King. OPPORTUNITY. Secureful thoughts do fofter fond delay, Bewitching hopes breed careleffness of mind; Occafion, fet on wing, flies faft away, Whofe back once turn'd, no hold-faft can we find ; Her feet are swift, bald is her head behind : Who fo hath hold, and after lets her go, Doth lofe the lot which fortune did bestow, Mirror for Magiftrates. And we must take the current when it ferves, Shakefper's Julius Cæfar. We must abide our opportunity : And practice what is fit, as what is needful. Johnfon's Sejanus. There is a certain feason, if we hit, Beaumont and Fletcher's Valentinian. Opportunity to statesmen, is as the just degree Of heat to chymifts; it perfects all the work. Suckling's Brennoralt. |