quote · Legacy record
Two principles from the beginning strove In human nature, still dividing man,— Sloth and activity; the lust of praise, And indolence that rather wished to sleep. ***** Sloth lay till mid-day, turning on his couch Like ponderous door upon its weary hinge, And having rolled him out with much ado, And many a dismal sigh, and vain attempt, He sauntered out, accoutred carelessly,— With half-oped, misty, unobservant eye, Somniferous, that weighed the object down On which its burden hung,—an hour or two, Then with a groan retired to rest again. The one, whatever deed had been achieved, Thought it too little, and too small the praise: The other tried to think, for thinking so Answered his purpose best, that what of great Mankind could do had been already done; And therefore laid him calmly down to sleep.
Two principles from the beginning strove In human nature, still dividing man,— Sloth and activity; the lust of praise, And indolence that rather wished to sleep. ***** Sloth lay till mid-day, turning on his couch Like ponderous door upon its weary hinge, And having rolled him out with much ado, And many a dismal sigh, and vain attempt, He sauntered out, accoutred carelessly,— With half-oped, misty, unobservant eye, Somniferous, that weighed the object down On which its burden hung,—an hour or two, Then with a groan retired to rest again. The one, whatever deed had been achieved, Thought it too little, and too small the praise: The other tried to think, for thinking so Answered his purpose best, that what of great Mankind could do had been already done; And therefore laid him calmly down to sleep.
In print by 1888 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Meaning not yet available
An individual explanation has not yet been added. We do not substitute a generic description for an interpretation of these particular words.
Begin with source-checked readings and explanations ↗Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Pollok (identity unresolved)
Attribution: unknown - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1888 AD · industrial
In print by 1888: recorded in A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888) (1888 AD)
Page 553 · printed citation: Pollok · subject: SLOTH
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.