A Collection of Emblemes Ancient and Moderne: Quickened VVith Metricall Illvstrations, both Morall and Divine: And disposed into Lotteries, That Instruction, and Good Counsell, may bee furthered by an Honest and Pleasant Recreation. By George Wither |
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 | A Collection of Emblemes |  |
257
Illvstr. XLIX.
[This Glasse declares, how Time doth passe away]
Make use of Time, that's comming on;
For, that is perish'd, which is gone.
For, that is perish'd, which is gone.
This
Glasse declares, how Time doth passe away;
And, if the Words, about it, rightly say,
Thy Time that's gone, is lost: and, proofe will shew,
That, many find both Words, and Emblem, true.
How fast their Time departs, they best perceive,
From whom it steales, before they take their leave,
Of what they love; and, whose last houre is gone,
Before their chiefest businesses are done.
And, if the Words, about it, rightly say,
Thy Time that's gone, is lost: and, proofe will shew,
That, many find both Words, and Emblem, true.
How fast their Time departs, they best perceive,
From whom it steales, before they take their leave,
Of what they love; and, whose last houre is gone,
Before their chiefest businesses are done.
How fast it slides, ev'n they are also taught,
(Too late, perhaps) who never kept in thought
Their ending-day; but, alwayes did presume,
Or, largely hope upon the Time to come;
The present-howres, nor thankfully enjoying,
Nor, honestly, nor usefully employing.
(Too late, perhaps) who never kept in thought
Their ending-day; but, alwayes did presume,
Or, largely hope upon the Time to come;
The present-howres, nor thankfully enjoying,
Nor, honestly, nor usefully employing.
That yeares expir'd, are lost, they likewise find:
For, when their understanding brings to mind,
How fondly (or, how ill perchance) they spent
Their passed age; they see, with discontent,
The Time, not onely lost, but, worse than so;
Lost, with a thousand other Losses moe:
And, that, when they shall need it, wealth nor pow'r,
Can purchase them, one minute of an howre.
For, when their understanding brings to mind,
How fondly (or, how ill perchance) they spent
Their passed age; they see, with discontent,
The Time, not onely lost, but, worse than so;
Lost, with a thousand other Losses moe:
And, that, when they shall need it, wealth nor pow'r,
Can purchase them, one minute of an howre.
Consider this, all ye that spend the prime,
The noone-tide, and the twilight of your Time,
In childish play-games, or meere worldly things;
As if you could, at pleasure, clip Times wings,
Or turne his Glasse; or, had a Life, or twaine
To live, when you had fool'd out this in vaine.
Short is the present; lost Times-passed bee;
And, Time to come, wee may not live to see.
The noone-tide, and the twilight of your Time,
In childish play-games, or meere worldly things;
As if you could, at pleasure, clip Times wings,
Or turne his Glasse; or, had a Life, or twaine
To live, when you had fool'd out this in vaine.
Short is the present; lost Times-passed bee;
And, Time to come, wee may not live to see.
| A Collection of Emblemes | |