Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON MR. HALL'S ESSAYS, by THOMAS STANLEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON MR. HALL'S ESSAYS, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Wits that matur'd by time have courted praise
Last Line: As many years as thou hast snatch'd from time.
Subject(s): Essays; Hall, John (1627-1656); Time


WITS that matur'd by time have courted praise,
Shall see their works outdone in these Essays;
And blush to know, thy earlier years display
A dawning, clearer than their brightest day.
Yet I'll not praise thee, for thou hast outgrown
The reach of all men's praises, but thine own.
Encomiums to their objects are exact;
To praise, and not at full, is to detract.
And with most justice are the best forgot,
For praise is bounded when the theme is not:
Since mine is thus confin'd, and far below
Thy merit, I forbear it, nor will show
How poor the autumnal pride of some appears,
To the ripe fruit thy vernal season bears.
Yet though I mean no praise, I come t' invite
Thy forward aims still to advance their flight;
Rise higher yet, what though thy spreading wreath
Lessen to their dull sight who stay beneath?
To thy full learning how can all allow
Just praise, unless that all were learn'd as thou?
Go on in spite of such low souls, and may
Thy growing worth know age, though not decay,
Till thou pay back thy theft; and live to climb
As many years as thou hast snatch'd from Time.





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