A choice of emblemes, and other devises For the moste part gathered out of sundrie writers, Englished and Moralized. And divers newly devised, by Geffrey Whitney. A worke adorned with varietie of matter, both pleasant and profitable: Wherein those that please, maye finde to fit their fancies: Bicause herein, by the office of the eie, and the eare, the minde maye reape dooble delighte throughe holsome preceptes, shadowed with pleasant deuises: both fit for the vertuous, to their incoraging: and for the wicked, for their admonishing and amendment |
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Scripta non temerè edenda.
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 | A choice of emblemes, and other devises |  |
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Scripta non temerè edenda.
Ad doctiss. virum D. St. Bvllvm.
Lo, here Qvinctilivs sittes, a graue and reuerende sire:
And pulles a younglinge by the arme, that did for fame desire.
For, hee with pace of snayle, proceeded to his pen;
Lest haste shoulde make him wishe (too late) it weare to write againe.
And therfore still with care, woulde euerie thinge amende:
Yea, ofte eche worde, and line suruaye, before hee made an ende.
And, yf he any sawe, whose care to wryte was small:
To him, like wordes to these hee vs'd, which hee did meane to all.
My sonne, what worke thou writes, correcte, reforme, amende,
But if thou like thy first assaye, then not Qvinctilivs frende?
The fruicte at firste is sower, till time giue pleasante taste:
And verie rare is that attempte, that is not harm'd with haste.
Perfection comes in time, and forme and fashion giues:
And euer rashenes, yeeldes repente, and most dispised liues.
Then, alter ofte, and chaunge, peruse, and reade, and marke:
The man that softlie settes his steppes, goes safest in the darke.
But if that thirst of fame, doe pricke thee forthe too faste:
Thou shalt (when it is all to late) repente therefore at laste.
| A choice of emblemes, and other devises | |