William Oldys (1696-1761). On a Fly. William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. 1910. The Book of Restoration Verse

William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Restoration Verse. 1910.

On a Fly

By William Oldys (1696–1761)


BUSY, curious, thirsty fly!
Drink with me and drink as I;
Freely welcome to my cup,
Couldst thou sip and sip it up:
Make the most of life you may,	5
Life is short and wears away.

Both alike are mine and thine
Hastening quick to their decline:
Thine’s a summer, mine’s no more,
Though repeated to threescore.	10
Threescore summers, when they’re gone,
Will appear as short as one!