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Emblemes (1635) and Hieroglyphikes (1638)

[in the critical edition by John Horden]
Quarles, Francis (1592-1644)

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[Emblemes]
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[Hieroglyphikes]
  
[dedication]
  
The minde of the Frontispeece.
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HIEROGLIPH I.
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HIEROGLIPH II.
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HIEROGLIPH III.
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HIEROGLIPH IV.
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HIEROGLIPH V.
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HIEROGLIPH VI.
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HIEROGLIPH VII.
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HIEROGLIPH VIII.
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HIEROGLIPH IX.
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HIEROGLIPH X.
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His bones are full of the sinnes of his youth. JOB 20. 11.
  
St. AMB.
 10. 
EPIGRAM 10.
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HIEROGLIPH XI.
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HIEROGLIPH XII.
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HIEROGLIPH XIII.
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HIEROGLIPH XIV.
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HIEROGLIPH XV.

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His bones are full of the sinnes of his youth. JOB 20. 11.

1

The swift-foot Post of Time hath now begun
His second Stage;
The dawning of our Age
Is lost and spent without a Sun:
The light of Reason did not yet appeare
Within th'Horizon of this Hemispheare.

2

The infant Will had yet none other guide,
But twilight Sense;
And what is gayn'd from thence
But doubtfull Steps, that tread aside?
Reason now draws her Curtains; Her clos'd eyes
Begin to open, and she calls to rise.

3

Youths now disclosing Buds peeps out, and showes
Her Aprill head;
And from her grass greene bed,
Her virgin Primerose early blowes;
Whil'st waking Philomel prepares to sing
Her warbling Sonets to the wanton Spring.

4

His Stage is pleasant, and her way seemes short,
All strow'd with flowers;
The daies appeare but howers,
Being spent in time-beguiling sport.
Here griefes do neither press, nor doubts perplex;
Here's neither feare, to curb; nor care, to vex.

5

His downie Cheek growes proud, and now disdaines
The Tutors hand;
He glories to command
The proud neckt Steed with prouder Reynes:
The strong breath'd Horne must now salute his eare,
With the glad downefall of the falling Deare.

6

His quicknos'd Armie, with their deepmouth'd sounds,
Must now prepare
To chase the tim'rous Hare
About his, yet unmorgag'd, Grounds;
The ev'll he hates, is Counsell, and delay,
And feares no mischief, but a rainie day.

7

The thought he takes, is how to take no thought
For bale, nor blisse;
And late Repentance is
The last deare Pen'worth that he bought:
He is a daintie Morning, and he may,
If lust o'recast him not, b'as faire a Day.

8

Proud Blossom, use thy Time; Times headstrong Horse
Will post away;
Trust not the foll'wing day,
For ev'ry day brings forth a worse:
Take Time at best: Beleeve't, thy daies will fall
From good, to bad; From bad, to worst of all.

St. AMB.

Humility is a rare thing in a young man, therefore to be admired: When youth is vigorous, when strength is firme, when blood is hot, when Cares are strangers, when mirth is free, then Pride swells, and humility is despised.

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