Ll. 1-3. Compare these opening lines with the envoy or concluding part
of _Hylas_, p. 28, l. 43.
L. 9. _jeunesse prudente._ In the sense of Latin _prudens_, 'wise.'
Prudence is generally considered as an attribute of old age. 'La
_prudence_ est le fruit de la longue vie,' says the French (Sacy's)
translation of the Bible, where the English Bible has: 'In length of
days (is) understanding,' Job xii. 12.
L. 10. _Pâlit._ _Pâlir sur des livres_ is a French idiom whose English
equivalent would be 'to pore over books.'