Bonny Gilderoy (1815)
Plato's advice
3211258Bonny Gilderoy — Plato's advice1815

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PLATO's ADVICE.


Says Plato, Why should man be vain,
since bounteous Heav’n has made him great?
Why look with insolent disdain
on those undeck’d with wealth or state?
Can costly robes, or beds of down,
or all the gems that deck the fair,
Can all the glories of a crrwn
give health, or case the brow of care?

The scepter’d King, the burden’d slave,
the humble and the haughty die;
The rich, the poor, the base, the brave,
in dust, without distinction, lye!
Go search the tombs where monarchs rest,
who once the greatest titles wore,
Of wealth and glory they’re bereft,
and all their honours are no more.

So flies the meteor thro’ the skies,
and spreads along a gilded train;
When shot, ’tis gone! its beauty dies!
dissolves to common air again!
So ’tis with us, my loving friends,
Let friendship reign, while here we stay:
Let’s crown our joy with virtuous deeds,
when call’d to die, we must obey.



This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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