My Lord St. Albans said that Nature did never put her precious jewels into a garret four stories high, and therefore that exceeding tall men had ever very empty heads.4
Apothegms. No. 17.
Note 1. Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness.John Wesley (quoted): Journal, Feb. 12, 1772.
According to Dr. A. S. Bettelheim, rabbi, this is found in the Hebrew fathers. He cites Phinehas ben Yair, as follows: The doctrines of religion are resolved into carefulness; carefulness into vigorousness; vigorousness into guiltlessness; guiltlessness into abstemiousness; abstemiousness into cleanliness; cleanliness into godliness,literally, next to godliness. [back]
Our life is but a span.New England Primer. [back]
Note 3. This line frequently occurs in almost exactly the same shape among the minor poems of the time: Not to be born, or, being born, to die.William Drummond: Poems, p. 44. Bishop King: Poems, etc. (1657), p. 145. [back]
Note 4. Tall men are like houses of four stories, wherein commonly the uppermost room is worst furnished.Howell (quoted): Letter i. book i. sect. ii. (1621.)
Often the cockloft is empty in those whom Nature hath built many stories high.Thomas Fuller: Andronicus, sect. vi. par. 18, 1.
Such as take lodgings in a head That s to be let unfurnished. Samuel Butler: Hudibras, part i. canto i. line 161. [back]