Sleep not too much; nor longer than asleep <br />Within thy bed thy lazy body keep; <br />For when thou, warm awake, shall feel it soft, <br />Fond cogitations will assail thee oft: <br />Then start up early, study, work, or write, <br />Let labour, others' toil, be thy delight. <br />Eat not to much, or if thou much dost eat, <br />Let it not be dainty or stirring meat; <br />Abstain from wine, although thou think it good, <br />It sets thy meat on fire, and stirs thy blood; <br />Use thyself much to bathe thy wanton limbs, <br />In coolest streams which o'er the gravel swims: <br />Be still in gravest company, and fly <br />The wanton rabble of the younger fry, <br />Whose lustful tricks will lead thee to delight <br />To think on love, where thou shalt perish quite; <br />Come not at all where many women are, <br />But, like a bird that lately 'scaped the snare, <br />Avoid their garish beauty fly with speed, <br />And learn by her that lately made thee bleed; <br />Be not too much alone, but if alone, <br />Get thee some modest book to look upon; <br />But do not read the lines of wanton men, <br />Poetry sets thy mind on fire again: <br />Abstain from songs and verses, and take heed <br />That not a line of love thou ever read.<br /><br />Francis Beaumont<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-conclusion-7/
