Bad May Be Better.

Man may at first transgress, but next do well:
Vice doth in some but lodge a while, not dwell.

Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick was a 17th-century English lyric poet and cleric. He is known for his book of poems, "Hesperides," which includes the carpe diem poem "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time." His works are noted for their clarity, simplicity, and musical quality. Herrick was also a vicar of Dean Prior in Devon, despite being ejected during the English Civil War and later reinstated.

Robert Herrick

Upon Snare, An Usurer.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

Duty To Tyrants.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

To His Book. Another.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

Good Manners At Meat.

Robert Herrick, Simple Poetry

English

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More Potent, Less Peccant.

He that may sin, sins least: leave to transgress
Enfeebles much the seeds of wickedness.

Robert Herrick

Evil.

Evil no nature hath; the loss of good
Is that which gives to sin a livelihood.

Robert Herrick

Temptations.

No man is tempted so but may o'ercome,
If that he has a will to masterdom.

Robert Herrick

His Confession.

Look how our foul days do exceed our fair;
And as our bad, more than our good works are,
E'en so those lines, pen'd by my wanton wit,
Treble the number of these good I've writ.
Things precious are least numerous: men are prone
To do ten bad for one good action.

Robert Herrick

Good And Bad.

The bad among the good are here mix'd ever;
The good without the bad are here plac'd never.

Robert Herrick

Sorrows Succeed.

When one is past, another care we have:
Thus woe succeeds a woe, as wave a wave.

Robert Herrick