Ellis Walker

1650-1700 / England

Lxii. The Improvement Of The Mind To Be Preferr'D To Bodily Exercises And Pleasures

In outward actions to spend to much time,
Is of stupidity too sure a sign;
As long to exercise, and long to eat,
To spend whole days, at least, to cram down meat,
To try what drink your belly will contain,
To be disgorg'd, to be piss'd out again,
Then half an hour, like a dull grinning fool,
To make wry faces over a close stool;
Or like a brutish swine, in sensual strife,
To wallow out whole hours with your dull wife,
When all this precious time should be assign'd,
For brave endeavours to improve your mind.
95 Total read