Maitland Club > Works of Sir Thomas Urquhart

OF EPIGRAMS. 31
THAT THERE IS NO TRUE RICHES BUT OF NECESSARY THINGS.
The ufe of money is, to have the meanes
Whereby all needfull things may be poflefs'd,
Which are but few and finall, and got with eafe ;
What we have more then that, 's not wealth, but chains
Or fetters of the mind ; and at the beft
But heapes of labour, feare, and carefulneffe.
THE MISERY OF SUCH AS ARE DOUBTFULL AND SUSPICIOUS
OF THEIR WIVES CHASTITIE.
Close jealous men make not fo evident
In any thing the madneffe of their braines,
As that, the more that they are diligent,
They have the greater hope to lofe their paines ;
For their whole care to fearch that, is imployed,
Which not to find, they would be overjoyed.
HOW DEPLORABLE THE CONDITION OF MOST MEN IS, WHO, THOUGH
THEY ATTAINE TO THE FRUITION OF THEIR PRETERIT PROJECTS,
BY COVETING NEVERTHELESSE THE POSSESSION OF FUTURE PLEA.
SURES, HONOURS, AND COMMODITIES, NEVER RECEIVE CONTENT.
MENT, AS THEY OUGHT, IN THE PRESENT TIME.
In things to fortune fubjecl:, when we get
What we did long for, we anew defire
To have wherewith t' uphold the former ftate ;
Which likewife, we obtaining, more require ;
For buiineffe engendreth bufmeffe,
And hope, being th' ufher of another hope,
Our enjoy'd willies ferve but to make place
To after aimes, whofe purchafe to the top
Of our ambition never reacheth ; thus
By ftill aipiring higher we can find