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What pleasures have great princes? These: to know Themselves reputed mad with pride or power; To speak few words -- few words and short bring low This ancient house, that city with flame devour; To make old men, their father's enemies, Drunk on the vintage of the former age; To have great painters show their mistresses Naked to the succeeding time; engage The cunning of able, treacherous ministers To serve, despite themselves, the cause they hate, And leave a prosperous kingdom to their heirs Nursed by the caterpillars of the state; To keep their spies in good men's hearts; to read The malice of the wise, and act betimes; To hear the Grand Remonstrances of greed Led by the pure; cheat justice of her crimes; To beget worthless sons and, being old, By starlight climb the battlements, and while The pacing sentry hugs himself for cold, Keep vigil like a lover, muse and smile, And think, to see from the grim castle steep The midnight city below rejoice and shine: "There my great demon grumbles in his sleep And dreams of his destruction, and of mine." A.D. Hope |
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