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 |  |
29
Illvstr. XXIX.
[Despaire not Man, in what thou oughtst to doe]
By many Strokes, that Worke is done,
Which cannot be perform'd at One.
Which cannot be perform'd at One.
Despaire not Man, in what thou oughtst to doe,
Although thou faile when one Attempt is made;
But, adde a New-Endeavour thereunto,
And, then another, and another, adde:
Yea, till thy Pow'r and Life shall quite be spent,
Persist in seeking what thou shouldst desire;
For, he that falleth from a good Intent,
Deserves not that, to which he did aspire.
Rich Treasures, are by Nature, placed deepe;
And, ere we gaine them, we must pierce the Rockes:
Such Perills, also, them, as Guardians keepe,
That, none can winne them without wounds and knockes.
Moreover, Glories, Thrones are so sublime,
That, whosoever thinkes their Top to gaine,
Till many thousand weary steps he clime,
Doth foole himselfe, by Musings which are vaine.
Although thou faile when one Attempt is made;
But, adde a New-Endeavour thereunto,
And, then another, and another, adde:
Yea, till thy Pow'r and Life shall quite be spent,
Persist in seeking what thou shouldst desire;
For, he that falleth from a good Intent,
Deserves not that, to which he did aspire.
Rich Treasures, are by Nature, placed deepe;
And, ere we gaine them, we must pierce the Rockes:
Such Perills, also, them, as Guardians keepe,
That, none can winne them without wounds and knockes.
Moreover, Glories, Thrones are so sublime,
That, whosoever thinkes their Top to gaine,
Till many thousand weary steps he clime,
Doth foole himselfe, by Musings which are vaine.
And, yet, there is a Path-way, which doth leade
Above the highest things that Man can see;
And (though it be not knowne to all who tread
The Common-Tract) it may ascended be.
As, therefore, none should greater things presume
Then well becomes their strength; So, none should feare
(Through Folly, Sloth, or Basenesse) to assume
Those things upon them, which beseeming are.
In Time, and by Degrees may things be wrought,
That seem'd impossible to have beene done,
When they were first conceived in the thought;
And, such as these, we may adventure on.
Mine Arme, I know, in time will fell an Oke;
But, I will nev'r attempt it, at a Stroke.
Above the highest things that Man can see;
And (though it be not knowne to all who tread
The Common-Tract) it may ascended be.
As, therefore, none should greater things presume
Then well becomes their strength; So, none should feare
(Through Folly, Sloth, or Basenesse) to assume
Those things upon them, which beseeming are.
In Time, and by Degrees may things be wrought,
That seem'd impossible to have beene done,
When they were first conceived in the thought;
And, such as these, we may adventure on.
Mine Arme, I know, in time will fell an Oke;
But, I will nev'r attempt it, at a Stroke.
| A Collection of Emblemes | |