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Henry David Thoreau
Men talk about Bible miracles because there is no miracle in their lives.
Cease to gnaw that crust. There is ripe fruit over your head.

The only way to have a friend is to be one. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, I did not take the oath I have just taken
with the intention of presiding over the dissolution of the world\'s
strongest economy.
Ronald Reagan

XXXVII



As a decrepit father takes delight

To see his active child do deeds of youth,

So I, made lame by Fortune\'s dearest spite,

Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth; 

For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,

Or any of these all, or all, or more,

Entitled in thy parts, do crowned sit,

I make my love engrafted, to this store:

So then I am not lame, poor, nor despis\'d,

Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give

That I in thy abundance am suffic\'d,

And by a part of all thy glory live.

  Look what is best, that best I wish in thee:

  This wish I have; then ten times happy me!



XXXVIII



How can my muse want subject to invent,

While thou dost breathe, that pour\'st into my verse

Thine own sweet argument, too excellent

For every vulgar paper to rehearse?

O! give thy self the thanks, if aught in me

Worthy perusal stand against thy sight;

For who\'s so dumb that cannot write to thee,

When thou thy self dost give invention light? 

Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth

Than those old nine which rhymers invocate;

And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth

Eternal numbers to outlive long date.

  If my slight muse do please these curious days,

  The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise.

 	--William Shakespeare