The Works of the Late Aaron Hill ... In Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, And of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With An Essay on the Art of Acting |
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The Distinction of Ages.
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 | The Works of the Late Aaron Hill |  |
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The Distinction of Ages.
The seven first years of life, (man's break of day)Gleams of short sense a dawn of thought display,
When fourteen springs have bloom'd his downy cheek,
His soft, and blushful meanings learn to speak,
From twenty one, proud manhood takes its date,
Yet is not strength compleat, 'till twenty eight:
Thence, to his five and thirtieth, life's gay fire,
Sparkles, burns loud, and flames, in fierce desire.
At forty two his eyes grave wisdom wear,
And the dark future dims him o'er with care;
On, to the nine and fortieth, toils increase,
And busy hopes and fears disturb his peace,
At fifty six cool reason reigns, intire,
Then, life burns steddy, and with temp'rate fire.
But sixty three unbinds the body's strength,
E'er th' unwearied mind has run her length;
And, when, from seventy, age surveys her last,
Tir'd, she stops short—and wishes, all were past.
| The Works of the Late Aaron Hill | |