XIV.

Were it not Folly, Spider-like to spin The Thread of present Life away to win-- What? for ourselves, who know not if we shall Breathe out the very Breath we now breathe in!

This quatrain is inspired by O. 136.

How long shall I grieve about what I have or have not, And whether I shall pass this life light-heartedly or not? Fill up the wine-cup, for I do not know That I shall breathe out the breath that I am drawing in.

_Ref._: O. 136, C. 504 and 427, L. 740, B. 726, S.P. 362, P. 207, B. ii. 484, P. v. 64.--W. 411, N. 366, V. 730.

This was replaced by No. 63 in the fourth and fifth editions, taken from the same original.