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Friendship, “the wine of life,” should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom add what will equal the generous first growths of our youth, yet friendship becomes insensibly old in much less time than is commonly imagined, and not many years are required to make it mellow and pleasant.James Boswell's Life of Johnson
When I think of all the books still left for me to read, I am certain of further happiness.
Jules Renard, Journal (June 23, 1902; tr. Louise Bogan and Elizabeth Roget)
What neat repast shall feast us, light and choice,
Of Attic taste, with wine, whence we may rise
To hear the lute well touch'd, or artful voice
Warble immortal notes and Tuscan air?
He who of those delights can judge, and spare
To interpose them oft, is not unwise.
John Milton, Sonnet 10: Lawrence, of virtuous father virtuous son
The words of Mercury are harsh after the songs of Apollo. You that way, we this way.
The last line of Love's Labours Lost
It was like that, the King Bill on a Saturday night. Your single-minded ambition to take leave of your senses as quickly as possible was its own ticket of admission to a charmed and affable circle. Moreover, there was a decent pool table and the jukebox had a lot of old soul classics on it and the bar staff took little persuading to turn up the volume. And you could do that sad thing and get out of your mind and dance alone with your eyes closed and the other customers would completely understand and give you a friendly pat on the way past.
ReplyDeleteJeremy Clarke