GREATNESS

King John -- III. 4.

GREATNESS.

Farewell, a long farewell, to all my greatness!

This is the state of man: To-day he puts forth

The tender leaves of hope, to-morrow blossoms,

And bears his blushing honors thick upon him;

The third day, comes a frost, a killing frost;

And,--when he thinks, good easy man, full surely

His greatness is ripening,--nips his root,

And then he falls, as I do.