Robert Herrick

"At stool-ball, Lucia, let us play     For sugar-cakes and wine:     Or for a tansy let us pay,     The loss, or thine, or mine.     If thou,"

"Roaring is nothing but a weeping part     Forced from the mighty dolour of the heart."

"From this bleeding hand of mine, Take this sprig of Eglantine: Which, though sweet unto your smell, Yet the fretful briar will tell, He who plucks"

"Crooked you are, but that dislikes not me:     So you be straight where virgins straight should be."

"Begin with Jove; then is the work half done,     And runs most smoothly when 'tis well begun.     Jove's is the first and last: the morn's his d"

"Lay by the good a while; a resting field     Will, after ease, a richer harvest yield;     Trees this year bear: next, they their wealth withhol"

"That Christ did die, the pagan saith;     But that He rose, that's Christians' faith."

"Hail, holy and all-honour'd tomb,     By no ill haunted; here I come,     With shoes put off, to tread thy room.     I'll not profane by soil o"

"God did forbid the Israelites to bring     An ass unto Him for an offering,     Only, by this dull creature, to express     His detestation to"

"Rare temples thou hast seen, I know,     And rich for in and outward show:     Survey this chapel, built alone,     Without or lime, or wood, o"

"For truth I may this sentence tell,     No man dies ill, that liveth well."

"For brave comportment, wit without offence, Words fully flowing, yet of influence: Thou art that man of men, the man alone, Worthy the public admir"

"In all our high designments 'twill appear,     The first event breeds confidence or fear."

"So smell those odours that do rise     From out the wealthy spiceries;     So smells the flower of blooming clove,     Or roses smother'd in th"

"One more by thee, love, and desert have sent,     T' enspangle this expansive firmament.     O flame of beauty! come, appear, appear     A virg"

"Along, come along,     Let's meet in a throng         Here of tinkers;     And quaff up a bowl     As big as a cowl         To beer drinkers."

"Empires of kings are now, and ever were,     As Sallust saith, coincident to fear."

"When with the virgin morning thou dost rise, Crossing thyself come thus to sacrifice; First wash thy heart in innocence; then bring Pure hands, pur"

"Of all our parts, the eyes express     The sweetest kind of bashfulness."

"Here she lies, a pretty bud, Lately made of flesh and blood; Who as soon fell fast asleep, As her little eyes did peep. Give her strewings, but no"

"Despair takes heart, when there's no hope to speed:     The coward then takes arms and does the deed."

"To seek of God more than we well can find,     Argues a strong distemper of the mind."

"Tap, better known than trusted, as we hear,     Sold his old mother's spectacles for beer:     And not unlikely; rather too than fail,     He'l"

"Nero commanded; but withdrew his eyes     From the beholding death and cruelties."

"Dean Bourn, farewell; I never look to see     Dean, or thy watery[1] incivility.     Thy rocky bottom, that doth tear thy streams     And makes"

"Nothing can be more loathsome than to see     Power conjoin'd with Nature's cruelty."

"Prickles is waspish, and puts forth his sting     For bread, drink, butter, cheese; for everything     That Prickles buys puts Prickles out of f"

"When out of bed my love doth spring,     'Tis but as day a-kindling;     But when she's up and fully dress'd,     'Tis then broad day throughou"

"Good things, that come of course, far less do please Than those which come by sweet contingencies."

"True rev'rence is, as Cassiodore doth prove,     The fear of God commix'd with cleanly love."

"Be my mistress short or tall And distorted therewithall Be she likewise one of those That an acre hath of nose Be her teeth ill hung or set And h"

"Up with the quintell, that the rout,     May fart for joy, as well as shout:     Either's welcome, stink or civit,     If we take it, as they g"

"No grief is grown so desperate, but the ill     Is half way cured if the party will."

"And must we part, because some say     Loud is our love, and loose our play,     And more than well becomes the day?     Alas for pity! and for"

"God is not only merciful to call     Men to repent, but when He strikes withal."

"That love last long, let it thy first care be     To find a wife that is most fit for thee.     Be she too wealthy or too poor, be sure     Lov"

"God is then said for to descend, when He     Doth here on earth some thing of novity;     As when in human nature He works more     Than ever y"

"Paradise is, as from the learn'd I gather,     A choir of bless'd souls circling in the Father."

"The gods to kings the judgment give to sway:     The subjects only glory to obey."

"So smooth, so sweet, so silv'ry is thy voice, As, could they hear, the Damned would make no noise, But listen to thee (walking in thy chamber) melt"

"Conformity was ever known     A foe to dissolution:     Nor can we that a ruin call,     Whose crack gives crushing unto all."

"Gold I have none, but I present my need,     O Thou, that crown'st the will, where wants the deed.     Where rams are wanting, or large bullocks"

"Though good things answer many good intents,     Crosses do still bring forth the best events."

"As shows the air when with a rainbow grac'd,     So smiles that riband 'bout my Julia's waist:     Or like - nay 'tis that zonulet of love,"

"For my part, I never care     For those lips that tongue-tied are:     Tell-tales I would have them be     Of my mistress and of me.     Let t"

"Seal'd up with night-gum, Loach each morning lies,     Till his wife licking, so unglues his eyes.     No question then, but such a lick is swee"

"We read how Faunus, he the shepherds' god,     His wife to death whipped with a myrtle rod.     The rod, perhaps, was better'd by the name;"

"Since Jack and Jill both wicked be;     It seems a wonder unto me,     That they, no better do agree."

"Love's of itself too sweet; the best of all Is, when love's honey has a dash of gall."

"Those tapers which we set upon the grave     In fun'ral pomp, but this importance have:     That souls departed are not put out quite;     But"

"Nothing comes free-cost here; Jove will not let His gifts go from him, if not bought with sweat."

"I have been wanton, and too bold, I fear, To chafe o'er-much the virgin's cheek or ear; Beg for my pardon, Julia!    he doth win Grace with the god"

"When I love, as some have told Love I shall, when I am old, O ye Graces!    make me fit For the welcoming of it! Clean my rooms, as temples be, T"

"Be not dismayed though crosses cast thee down;     Thy fall is but the rising to a crown."

"If well thou hast begun, go on fore-right;     It is the end that crowns us, not the fight."

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may, Old Time is still a flying: And this same flower that smiles today, Tomorrow will be dying. The glorious lamp o"

"Ph. Charon! O gentle Charon! let me woo thee         By tears and pity now to come unto me.     Ch. What voice so sweet and charming do I hear?"

"Like those infernal deities which eat     The best of all the sacrificed meat;     And leave their servants but the smoke and sweat:     So man"

"Hast thou attempted greatness? then go on:     Back-turning slackens resolution."

"Those possessions short-liv'd are,     Into the which we come by war."