Ye Sundial Booke

Name: Ye Sundial Booke
Author: Henslow, T. Geoffrey W. (Thomas Geoffrey Wall)

Henslow, T. Geoffrey W. (Thomas Geoffrey Wall)

Sundials

I think all men will well agree,
                 At this similitude sublime,
               Since bounds there are to earth and sea,
                 Nought beats the shifting sand for time.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIALS ON THE TOWER OF THE WINDS, ATHENS.
]

                I wonder who split up the day,
                  Into hours of dark and hours of light?
                Or who apportioned minutes, pray?
                  With seconds to shorten day or night.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIAL ON ST. MARY’S CHURCH, DITCHINGHAM, NORFOLK.
]

                   Who murmurs at our God’s decree,
                     Forgets His love divine,
                   How that He cares for all we see,
                     And calls us “children mine.”

[Illustration:

  SUNDIALS ON THE OLD SEVEN DIALS COLUMN, LONDON.
]

                    From the wreck of years I stand,
                    Still awaiting thy command,
                    Praying that each hour may be
                    Given to thy God by thee.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIAL, OLD COVENT GARDEN.

  Date, the reign of James II.
]

                Ho, spendthrift, take a look at time,
                  ’Tis more than gold you squander,
                For hours men waste when in their prime,
                  Cast shadows like Sol yonder.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIAL, EARLY 18th CENTURY.
]

              A riddle I will put to thee:
                Who gives thee years yet takes of thine?
              Who lends thee most when he robs thee?
                You’ve guessed, no doubt—’tis Father Time.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIAL ON BEDALE CHURCH, DARLINGTON.

  Date, 1750.
]

                We promise great things for the morrow,
                  No matter how bright the sun’s ray;
                But oft we’re defeated by sorrow,
                  So why not fulfil them to-day.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIAL IN THE GROUNDS OF BROUGHTON HALL, Nr. BANBURY.
]

                 “A stitch taken in time saves nine,”
                   Not so with each hour that I mark;
                 These increase on this dial mine,
                   And you lose what I gain ’til dark.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIAL ON SHEEPSTOR CHURCH, DARTMOOR.

  Date 1640.
]

                     ’Tis not enough to simply be,
                       Leaving work undone,
                     Nor yet to live continually,
                       Basking in the sun.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIAL AT BASLOW, DERBYSHIRE.
]

                    Visit me, thou light of heaven,
                      Grant men time to know;
                    Let the hours be surely given,
                      To the world below.

[Illustration:

  SUNDIAL AT MILLRIGG CULGAITH, Nr. PENRITH.

  Date 17th Century.
]

                    Like the bee and ant, go learn
                    How the seasons take their turn;
                    Never waste an hour of sun,
                    ’Til the harvest’s fully won.

[Illustration:

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Ye Sundial Booke

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