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XXXV. GOOD AUGURY.

I WAS much affected with reading that distich in Ovid, as having somewhat extraordinary therein:

Tarpeia quondam praedixit ab ilice cornix,

Est, bene non potuit dicere, dixit, erit.

The crow sometimes did sit and spell4444To foretell; hence Spelman.

On top of Tarpie-Hall;

She could not say, All’s well, all’s well,

But said, It shall, it shall.

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But what, do I listen to the language of the crow, whose black colour hath a cast of hell therein, in superstitious soothsaying? Let us hearken to what the dove of the Holy Spirit saith, promising God’s servants, though the present times be bad, the future will be better, Psalm xxxvii. 11: The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.


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