Dr. Cotton Mather, who was a man of uncommon dispatch and activity in
the management of his numerous affairs, and improved every minute of
his time, that he might not suffer by silly, impertinent, and tedious
visiters, wrote over his study-door, in large letters, "Be short."
Ursinus, a professor in the University of Heidelburgh, and a diligent
scholar, to prevent gossips and idlers from interrupting him in his
hours of study, wrote over the door of his library the following
lines--"Friend, whoever thou art that comest hither, dispatch thy
business or begone."
The learned Scaliger placed the following sentence over the doors of his
study--"Tempus meum est ager meus," "My time is my field or estate." And
it is frequently the only valuable field which the labourer, in body or
mind, possesses.
Ever hold time too precious to be spent
With babblers.--_Shakspeare._
"Friends," says Lord Bacon, "are robbers of our time."