121841841"Yet am I guilty of thy honor's wrack;

842842Yet for thy honor did I entertain him.

843843Coming from thee, I could not put him back,

844844For it had been dishonor to disdain him.

845845Besides, of weariness he did complain him

846846And talked of virtue. O, unlooked-for evil,

847847When virtue is profaned in such a devil."

122848848"Why should the worm intrude the maiden bud?

849849Or hateful cuckoos hatch in sparrows' nests?

850850Or toads infect fair founts with venom mud?

851851Or tyrant folly lurk in gentle breasts?

852852Or kings be breakers of their own behests?

853853But no perfection is so absolute

854854That some impurity doth not pollute."

123855855"The agèd man that coffers up his gold

856856Is plagued with cramps and gouts and painful fits

857857And scarce hath eyes his treasure to behold,

858858But like still-pining Tantalus he sits,

859859And useless barns the harvest of his wits,

860860Having no other pleasure of his gain

861861But torment that it cannot cure his pain."

124862862"So then he hath it when he cannot use it

863863And leaves it to be mastered by his young,

864864Who in their pride do presently abuse it.

865865Their father was too weak, and they too strong

866866To hold their cursèd-blessèd fortune long.

867867The sweets we wish for turn to loathèd sours

868868Even in the moment that we call them ours."

125869869"Unruly blasts wait on the tender spring;

870870Unwholesome weeds take root with precious flowers;

871871The adder hisses where the sweet birds sing;

872872What virtue breeds, iniquity devours.

873873We have no good that we can say is ours

874874But ill-annexèd Opportunity

875875Or kills his life or else his quality."