The beauty of the Portland Vase

You must have heard about this very famous piece. It now resides in the Royal British museum in England. It is supposed to have been the property of a Cardinal residing in Rome some 400 years ago.

Experts place the origins of this beauty to the era AD 5-25. I believe such objects of beauty were commissioned to pottery makers by rich folks and were given as wedding gifts. Vases showing  a man and a woman with a mythical figure thrown in plus an angel or a kid skipping around, then it was surely meant to be gifted at a wedding with blessings  that  the union bears children.

Many, many replicas of this vase are found all over. When next you go to London, go look on this divine piece and marvel at it's beauty.

Every time I look upon the vase above  it  sends a tingle up my leg.

My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is ... last 2 verses

Sir Edward Dyer        1550 - 1607 

Some weigh their pleasure by their lust,
Their wisdom by their rage of will;
Their treasure is their only trust;
A cloaked craft their store of skill:
But all the pleasure that I find
Is to maintain a quiet mind.


My wealth is health and perfect ease;
My conscience clear my chief defence;
I neither seek by bribes to please,
Nor by deceit to breed offence:
Thus do I live; thus will I die;
Would all did so as well as I  !      


Blogger's note:
Many scholars hold the belief that this poem attributed to Sir Edward Dyer was not written by him.  I have read a bit of Dyer's biography and have come away with the thought that even if this poem was written by de Vere, as most seem to think,  it is best suited for the kind of personality Dyer had.

Maxine has it right as usual !!

My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is .... verses 5 and 6

By Edward Dyer ... 1550  - 1607           Verses 5 and 6


Some have too much, yet still do crave;
I little have, and seek no more.
They are but poor, though much they have,
And I am rich with little store;
They poor, I rich; they beg, I give;
They lack, I leave; they pine, I live.


I laugh not at another's loss;
I grudge not at another's pain;
No worldly waves my mind can toss;
My state at one doth still remain:
I fear no foe, I fawn no friend;
I loathe not life, nor dread my end.


... to be contd...

Maxine: "somebody screwed up."

My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is ..... Verses 3 and 4

Sir Edward Dyer       1550 - 1607           Verses 3 and 4


I see how plenty surfeits oft,
And hasty climbers soon do fall;
I see that those which are aloft
Mishap doth threaten most of all;
They get with toil, they keep with fear:
Such cares my mind could never bear.


Content to live, this is my stay;
I seek no more than may suffice;
I press to bear no haughty sway;
Look, what I lack my mind supplies:
Lo, thus I triumph like a king,
Content with that my mind doth bring.

... to be contd...

Watch out Clem.... here she comes !!!

My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is

The following are the first two verses from  my all time favorite poem by

Sir Edward Dyer    1550 - 1607

My mind to me a kingdom is,
Such present joys therein I find
That it excels all other bliss
That earth affords or grows by kind:
Though much I want which most would have,
Yet still my mind forbids to crave.

No princely pomp, no wealthy store,
No force to win the victory,
No wily wit to salve a sore,
No shape to feed a loving eye;
To none of these I yield as thrall:
For why?  My mind doth serve for all.

.... to be contd........