Robert Bridges, ed. (1844–1930). The Spirit of Man: An Anthology. 1916. | | | | On His Being Arrived to the Age of Twenty-Three |
John Milton (1608–1674) |
| | | HOW 1 soon hath Time the suttle theef of youth, | |
| Stoln on his wing my three and twentith yeer! | |
| My hasting dayes flie on with full career, | |
| But my late spring no bud or blossom shew’th. | |
| Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, | 5 |
| That I to manhood am arriv’d so near, | |
| And inward ripenes doth much less appear, | |
| That som more timely-happy spirits indu’th. | |
| Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow, | |
| It shall be still in strictest measure eev’n, | 10 |
| To that same lot, however mean, or high, | |
| Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heav’n; | |
| All is, if I have grace to use it so, | |
| As ever in my great Taskmasters eye. | |
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