Maitland Club > Works of Sir Thomas Urquhart

46 THE THIRD BOOKE
WHY OUR THOUGHTS, ALL THE WHILE WE ARE IN THIS TRAN-
SITORY WORLD, FROM THE HOURE OF OUR NATIVITY TO THE
LAYING DOWNE OF OUR BODIES IN THE GRAVE, SHOULD NOT
AT ANY TIME EXSPACIAT THEMSELVES IN THE BROAD WAY
OF DESTRUCTION.
Seeing the ftrait lodging of your mother's wombe
Brought you to life, from whence you niuft depart
To the darke entry of a little tombe,
Betwixt your birth and btiriall let your heart
Tread vertue's narrow path, till you contract
To fo Uriel bounds the pleasures of this wide
And fpacious world, as that you may draw backe
The reines of covetous delire, hate, luft, and pride ;
For by fo doing, you will make your death
A bleffed paffage to eternall breath.
IT IS THE SAFEST COURSE TO ENTERTAINE POVERTY IN OUR
GREATEST RICHES.
Your thoughts in greateft plentie moderate,
Left with fuperfluous things you be infnared ;
Let poverty be your familiar mate,
That fortune may not find you unprepared ;
For fo it will not lye into her pow'r,
T' inflict that crolfe which you cannot endure.
TO A GENTLEMAN WHO WAS EXTREAMLY OFFENDED AT THE
DEFAMATORY SPEECHES OF A BASE DETRACTOR.
At his reproachfull words doe not conceive
The meaneft grudge, for curs will ftill be barking ;
Nor take you notice of him, feeing a knave
Is like a fcabbed fheepe, not worth the marking ;
And this your letting him at nought will make him
Swell, as a toad, till his owne poyfon breake him.