George Withers' Emblemes

Purjue %W orkes without delay,
111 Fortthyjbort hourcs runnefaft away.
Illvstr. I III. Book.
[Hough this bee but the pidure of that GUjfe,
By which thou meafur'ft how thine inures doe patfe,
Yet, Height it not ;
for,much 'twill profit thee,
To ponder what the Morals of it bee.
And, 'tis an Emblem, whence the Wife may learne,
That, which their perfons, neerely doth concerne.
The brittle Gltjfe, ferves fitly to exprefle
The Bodie's frailrie,and much crafinefle.
Foure Pillars, which the glaflie vvorkc empale,
Inftrud thee, that the Venues Cardinal!,
To guard the Manhood, fhould bee ftill employ *cJ,
Left elfe the feeble fabrick bee deftroy'd.
The Sand, ftill running forth, without delay,
Doth fhcw,that Lifetime, palTeth faft away,
And, makes no ftop: yea, and the Motto too,
(Left thou forgetfull prove,) informes thee (o.
By viewing this, Occafion, therefore, take,
Of thy faft- flying Hourcs, more ufe to rnake
5
And, heedfull bee, to fhunne theircommon crime,
Who take much care to trifle out the timcj
As if it merited their utmoft paine,
To lofe the gemme, which mod they feeke to gatne.
Time-paft is loft already : 7ime.to.come,
Belongs, as yet, thou knowft not unto whom.
The prejent-houres are thine, and, onely thofc,
Of which thou haft Committor* to difpofe 5
And, they from thee, doe flye away fo faf),
That, they are fcarcely knownc, till they are paf?.
, Lord,givc mee grace, to mindc,andufe Time fi,
That, I may doe tbj worke, before I got,
RtpCht,