Busy, curious, thirsty Fly,
Gently drink, and drink as I;
Freely welcome to my Cup,
Could’st thou sip, and sip it up;
Make the most of Life you may,
Life is short and wears away.
Just alike, both mine and thine,
Hasten quick to their Decline;
Thine’s a Summer, mine’s no more,
Though repeated to threescore;
Threescore Summers when they’re gone,
Will appear as short as one.
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Notes from Wikiquote
According to Dr. Ducarel, Oldys wrote in the Scarborough Miscellany, 1732–4. John Taylor, the author of Monsieur Tonson, informed Isaac D'Israeli that "Oldys always asserted that he was the author of the well-known song, 'Busy, curious, thirsty fly!' which first appeared in the Scarborough Miscellany for 1732. | Cf. Anacreon; Anacreontea