ON THEINCREASE OF HUMAN LIFE.
Fate deals out human life by seven-year spaces:Time was you would be thought in her good gracesWith nine of these; when David lived ’twas ten;If more She gave, ’twas only now and then,A few cold years of winter, and the last,Tho’ charged with toil and sorrow, quickly past.But in our age more bounteous Fate appears,And often grants a dozen-fold seven years;Nay, be but still and temperate like the Quakers,Perhaps she’ll make your dozen up a baker’s.
Fate deals out human life by seven-year spaces:Time was you would be thought in her good gracesWith nine of these; when David lived ’twas ten;If more She gave, ’twas only now and then,A few cold years of winter, and the last,Tho’ charged with toil and sorrow, quickly past.But in our age more bounteous Fate appears,And often grants a dozen-fold seven years;Nay, be but still and temperate like the Quakers,Perhaps she’ll make your dozen up a baker’s.
Fate deals out human life by seven-year spaces:Time was you would be thought in her good gracesWith nine of these; when David lived ’twas ten;If more She gave, ’twas only now and then,A few cold years of winter, and the last,Tho’ charged with toil and sorrow, quickly past.But in our age more bounteous Fate appears,And often grants a dozen-fold seven years;Nay, be but still and temperate like the Quakers,Perhaps she’ll make your dozen up a baker’s.
Fate deals out human life by seven-year spaces:
Time was you would be thought in her good graces
With nine of these; when David lived ’twas ten;
If more She gave, ’twas only now and then,
A few cold years of winter, and the last,
Tho’ charged with toil and sorrow, quickly past.
But in our age more bounteous Fate appears,
And often grants a dozen-fold seven years;
Nay, be but still and temperate like the Quakers,
Perhaps she’ll make your dozen up a baker’s.