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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  175. Integer Vitae

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Thomas Campion. 1567?–1619

175. Integer Vitae

THE man of life upright, 
  Whose guiltless heart is free 
From all dishonest deeds, 
  Or thought of vanity; 
 
The man whose silent days         5
  In harmless joys are spent, 
Whom hopes cannot delude, 
  Nor sorrow discontent; 
 
That man needs neither towers 
  Nor armour for defence,  10
Nor secret vaults to fly 
  From thunder’s violence: 
 
He only can behold 
  With unaffrighted eyes 
The horrors of the deep  15
  And terrors of the skies. 
 
Thus, scorning all the cares 
  That fate or fortune brings, 
He makes the heaven his book, 
  His wisdom heavenly things;  20
 
Good thoughts his only friends, 
  His wealth a well-spent age, 
The earth his sober inn 
  And quiet pilgrimage.