Swift as a shadow, short as any dream;

Brief as the lightning in the collied night,

That in a spleen unfolds both heaven and earth,

And ere a man hath power to say, "Behold!"

The jaws of darkness do devour it up:

So quick bright things come to confusion.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act i. Sc. 1.

Fears of the brave, and follies of the wise!

From Marlb'rough's eyes the streams of dotage flow,

And Swift expires, a driv'ler and a show.

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784): Vanity of Human Wishes. Line 316.

It is not strength, but art, obtains the prize,

And to be swift is less than to be wise.

'T is more by art than force of num'rous strokes.

Alexander Pope (1688-1744): The Iliad of Homer. Book xxiii. Line 383.

His golden locks time hath to silver turned;

O time too swift! Oh swiftness never ceasing!

His youth 'gainst time and age hath ever spurned,

But spurned in vain; youth waneth by encreasing.

George Peele (1552-1598): Sonnet. Polyhymnia.

Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

New Testament: James i. 19.

Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Romeo and Juliet. Act ii. Sc. 6.

True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings;

Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): King Richard III. Act v. Sc. 2.

How fleet is a glance of the mind!

Compared with the speed of its flight

The tempest itself lags behind,

And the swift-winged, arrows of light.

William Cowper (1731-1800): Verses supposed to be written by Alexander Selkirk.