My thoughts hold mortal strife, I do detest my life, And with lamenting cries, Peace to my soul to bring, Oft calls that prince which here doth monarchize; But he, grim-grinning king, Who caitiffs scorns and doth the blest surprise, Late having deck'd with beauty's rose his tomb, Disdains to crop a weed, and will not come.

William Drummond

Categorized in : Kings Weed Sad

Books have that strange quality, that being of the frailest and tenderest matter, they outlast brass, iron and marble.

William Drummond

iron quality book

Put a bridle on thy tongue; set a guard before thy lips, lest the words of thine own mouth destroy thy peace... on much speaking cometh repentance, but in silence is safety.

William Drummond

safety silence mouths

What sweet delight a quiet life affords. by William Drummond

What sweet delight a quiet life affords.

William Drummond

delight marriage sweet

So that my life be brave, what though not long? by William Drummond

So that my life be brave, what though not long?

William Drummond

brave life long

Sleep, Silence's child, sweet father of soft rest, Prince whose approach peace to all mortals brings Indifferent host to shepherds and kings Sole comforter to minds with grief oppressed.

William Drummond

kings sweet children

Thrice happy he, who by some shady grove, Far from the clamorous world; doth live his own; Though solitary, who is not alone, But doth converse with that eternal love.

William Drummond

eternal-love solitude world

He who dares not (reason), is a slave. by William Drummond

He who dares not (reason), is a slave.

William Drummond

slave freedom reason

He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; and he that dares not reason is a slave.

William Drummond

will slave fool reason

Iron sharpens iron; scholar, the scholar. by William Drummond

Iron sharpens iron; scholar, the scholar.

William Drummond

sharpens scholar intelligence iron

Study what thou art Whereof thou art a part What thou knowest of this art This is really what thou art. All that is without thee also is within.

William Drummond

within without study art

He who will not reason, is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and... by William Drummond

He who will not reason, is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not is a slave.

William Drummond

will slave fool reason

I study myself more than any other subject; it is my metaphysic,... by William Drummond

I study myself more than any other subject; it is my metaphysic, and my physic.

William Drummond

than more myself study

There is a silence, the child of love, which expresses everything, and proclaims more loudly than the tongue is able to do.

William Drummond

child tongue silence love

As we had no part of our will on our entrance into this life, we should not presume to any on our leaving it, but soberly learn to will which He wills.

William Drummond

learn will leaving life