[TheForge] Re: question on quotes

[Mike Spencer]

> I want to get them exact, but more importantly I want to get the
> sources correct.
> [....]
>
> "The work of the smyth takes a lifetime to learn, the life so
> short."  Roughly paraphrased.

Possibly Chaucer, The Parliament of Fouls:

   Here begyneth the Parlement of Foules.

     The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne,
     Th' assay so hard, so sharp the conquerynge,
     The dredful joye alwey that slit so yerne:
     [snip]

http://machias.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/texts/pf/pf07.html
http://machias.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/texts/pf/pf07.txt

Translation into modern English:

http://machias.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/translation/pf/pf.html



FWIW,
- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                                           /V\ 
mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^