John Wilmot

“Samples of John Wilmot's bawdy poetry at Pornokrates”

“Poems and a short Brief biography at druidic.org”

“John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester (2000) by Ealasaid A.Haas”

“The clog of all pleasure, the luggage of life, Is the best can be said for a very good wife.”

“But oh, how slowly minutes roll When absent from her eyes, That feed my love, which is my soul: It languishes and dies.”

“On thy wither'd lips and dry, Which like barren furrows lie, Brooding kisses I will pour, Shall thy youthful heart restore. (Such kind showers in autumn fall, And a second spring recall); Nor from thee will ever part, Ancient Person of my Heart.”

“Lest, once more wandering from that heaven, I fall on some base heart unblest, Faithless to thee, false, unforgiven, And lose my everlasting rest.”

“Angels listen when she speaks: She's my delight, all mankind's wonder; But my jealous heart would break Should we live one day asunder.”

“For pointed satire I would Buckhurst choose, The best good man with the worst-natured muse.”

“A merry monarch, scandalous and poor.”

“It is a good world to live in, To lend, or to spend, or to give in; But to beg or to borrow, or to get a man's own, It is the very worst world that ever was known.”

“If you have a grateful heart (which is a miracle amongst you statesmen), show it by directing the bearer to the best wine in town, and pray let not this highest point of sacred friendship be performed slightly, but go about it with all due deliberation and care, as holy priests to sacrifice, or as discreet thieves to the wary performance of burglary and shop-lifting. Let your well-discerning palate (the best judge about you) travel from cellar to cellar and then from piece to piece till it has lighted on wine fit for its noble choice and my approbation.”

“Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children and no theories.”

“We have a pretty witty king, Whose word no man relies on; He never said a foolish thing, Nor ever did a wise one.”

“Here lies our sovereign lord the king, Whose word no man relies on; He never says a foolish thing, Nor ever does a wise one.”

“Then talk not of Inconstancy, False Hearts, and broken Vows; If I, by Miracle, can be This live-long Minute true to thee, 'Tis all that Heav'n allows.”

“Farewell, woman! I intend Henceforth every night to sit With my lewd, well-natured friend, Drinking to engender wit.”

“Love a woman? You're an ass!'Tis a most insipid passionTo choose out for your happinessThe silliest part of God's creation.”

“See the kind seed-receiving earth To every grain affords a birth: On her no showers unwelcome fall, Her willing womb retains 'em all, And shall my Caelia be confined? No, live up to thy mighty mind, And be the mistress of Mankind!”

“Great Negative, how vainly would the Wise Enquire, define, distinguish, teach, devise, Didst thou not stand to point their dull Philosophies?Is, or is not, the Two great Ends of Fate, And, true or false, the Subject of Debate, That perfect, or destroy, the vast Designs of Fate.”