114 ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS
Grief Can Wait
WEEP not, my wanton, smile upon my knee.
When you art old there's grief enough for thee.
Robert Greene in Shakespeare's day
The Upstart Crow
THERE is an upstart crow beautiful with our feathers, that, with
his tiger's heart wrapped in a player's hide, supposes he is as
well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you. ... It is
a pity men of such rare wits should be subject to the pleasures of such
rude grooms. Robert Greene's churlish reference
to his rival William Shakespeare
England's Moat
IT may be said now to England, Martha,, Martha, thou art busy
about many things, but one thing is necessary. To the question
What shall we do to be saved in this world ? there1 is no other answer
but this, Look to your moat.
The first article of an Englishman's political creed must be that
he beiieveth in the sea. Without that there ncedeth no General
Council to pronounce him incapable of salvation here.
We are in an island, confined to it by God Almighty, not as a
penalty but a grace, and one of the greatest that can be given
to mankind. Lord Halifax in the Seventeenth Century
Here's an Acre Rich Indeed
MORTALITY, behold and fear I
What a change of flesh is here I
Think how many royal bones
Sleep within this heap of stones :
Here they lie had realms and lands
Who now want strength to stir their hands :
Where from their pulpits scaled with dust
They preach u In greatness is no trust/'
Here's an acre sown indeed
With the richest, royallest seed
That the earth did e*er suck in
Since the first man died for sin.
Here the bones of birth have cried :
Though gods they were, as men they died !
Here are sands, ignoble things,
Dropt from the ruined sides of kings ;
Here's a world of pomp and state
Buried in dust, once dead by fate.
Written in Shakespeare^ day by Francis Beaumont