Baseness is mutability's ally, But the sublime affections never die.-Dr. Bowring. A mind that, in a calm angelic mood Of happy wisdom meditating good, Beholds, of all from her high powers required, Affection, earth's great purifier, stirs There is in life no blessing like affection; Whose sole contentment is to watch and love; And wealth an empty glitter without love. Miss Landon. Oh! there is one affection which no stain Is but with hands entwined to lift our being higher. Affection is the Deity's best gift, The brightest star that glitters in his crown, And flashes its refulgence to the earth. Percival. Ann S. Stevens. Affection's power who can suppress, Brandon. THOUGH affliction, at the first, doth vex Obedient cheerfulness, as if it came Sir William Davenant. Perfumes, the more they're chafed, the more they render Or else adulterate. John Webster. Like a ball that bounds According to the force with which 't was thrown, Heaven but tries our virtue by affliction; Affliction is the wholesome soil of virtue, Affliction is the good man's shining scene; Nabb. Browne. Mallet. As night to stars, woe lustre gives to man.-Young. Prosperity, alas! Is often but another name for pride And selfishness, which scorns another's woe; And each affliction with a serious smile Sigourney. AFFRONT. OFT have they violated The temple, oft the law with foul affronts, Milton. His holy rites and solemn rites profaned, And with their darkness durst affront His light. But harm precedes not sin; only our foe Milton. Milton. You've done enough, for you designed my chains, The grace is vanished, but the affront remains. Dryden. Young men soon forgive, and forget affronts; When truth or virtue an affront endures, Addison. The affront is mine, my friend, and should be yours. Pope. A moral, sensible, and well-bred man 'Tis the divinity that stirs within us; 'Tis heaven itself that points out an hereafter, And intimates eternity to man. Addison. I still shall wait Some new hereafter, and a future state. Prior. We look before and after, With some pain is fraught; Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought. Oh! it is ecstacy in early days, Shelley. When youth is ours-before the scorching rays That makes the sky more blue, the earth more green- Forgetting earth and all that therein lowers; For then the soul unto eternity Looks, and awhile the better land is ours: But it is otherwise in after years; The dews that were in youth are changed to tears; And though as blue the heavens-the earth as green, Alas! we see them not as we have seen. Mrs. E. Thomas. AGE. THE sixth age shifts Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon; With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side; Is second childishness, and mere oblivion; I have lived long enough: my way of life Shakspere. Though now this grained face of mine be hid Youth no less becomes The light and careless livery that it wears, Shakspere. Shakspere. Beshrew my jealousy! It seems it is as proper to our age To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions, To lack discretion. Shakspere. Age sits with decent grace upon his visage, What is age But the holy place of life, chapel of ease Rowe. As from a priest to steal a holy vestment, Life ebbs from such old age, unmark'd and silent, These are the effects of doting age. Old Play. Vain doubts, and idle cares, and over caution. Dryden. |