Or impotent, or, else approving, sees 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 rank ling, grows The partial thought, a listless unconcern, 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. Inconquerable 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 And in his hand a burning brond he hath, The which he brandisheth about his hed: His eyes did hurle forth sparcles fiery red, And stared sterne on all that him beheld, As ashes pale of hew, and seeming ded; And on his dagger still his hand he held, Trembling through hasty rage when choler in him sweld. His ruffin raiment all was staind with blood Which he had spilt, and all to rags yrent; Through unadvized rashness woxen wood, For of his hands he had no government, Ne car'd for blood in his avengement: But when the furious fitt was overpast, His cruel facts he often would repent; Yet (wilful man) he never would forecast How many mischiefs should ensue his beedlesse haste. Yet both his shield and guard (faint heart) suspected: And sending often back his doubtful eye, By fearing, taught unthought of treachery; So made him enemies, by fearing enmity. Still did he look for some ensuing cross, (With tyranny of fear distraught) as hell. And when no other cause of fright appears, Himself he much suspects, and fears his causeless fears. 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 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! |