| Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903. | | | | From “The Church Porch”: Health | | By George Herbert (1593–1633) |
| | | SLIGHT those who say amidst their sickly healths, | |
| Thou liv’st by rule. What doth not so but man? | |
| Houses are built by rule, and commonwealths. | |
| Entice the trusty sun, if that you can, | |
| From his ecliptic line; beckon the sky. | 5 |
| Who lives by rule then keeps good company. | |
| |
| Who keeps no guard upon himself is slack, | |
| And rots to nothing at the next great thaw. | |
| Man is a shop of rules, a well-truss’d pack, | |
| Whose every parcel under-writes a law. | 10 |
| Lose not thyself, nor give thy humours way; | |
| God gave them to thee under lock and key. | | | | |
|
|
