III Mon. May [1734] hath xxxi days.

Franklin, Benjamin (1706 - 1790)

1Wedlock, as old Men note, hath likened been,

2Unto a publick Crowd or common Rout;

3Where those that are without would fain get in,

4And those that are within would fain get out.

5Grief often treads upon the Heels of Pleasure,

6Marry’d in Haste, we oft repent at Leisure;

7Some by Experience find these Words misplac’ed,

8Marry’d at Leisure, they repent in Haste.

Notes

8] Lines 1-8 are closely adapted from William Congreve’s The Old Batchelour (1693), V.1. Back to Line

Publication Notes

The Complete Poor Richard Almanacks, intro. Whitfield J. Bell, Jr., Vol. 1, 1733-1747 (Barre, Massachusetts: The Imprint Society, Inc., 1970): 35. PS 749 A3 1970 Robarts Library First published in 1734.

RPO poem Editors

Ian Lancashire