William Robert Spencer. 1770-1834. John Bartlett, comp. 1919. Familiar Quotations, 10th ed.

John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

William Robert Spencer. (1770–1834)

    Too late I stayed,—forgive the crime!
  Unheeded flew the hours;
How noiseless falls the foot of time 1
  That only treads on flowers.

Lines to Lady A. Hamilton.

Note 1.
See Shakespeare, All ’s Well that Ends Well, Quotation 18. [back]