“Whence thy learning? Hath thy toil
O'er books consumed the midnight oil?”

—  John Gay

Introduction, "The Shepherd and the Philosopher"; "Midnight oil" was a common phrase, used by Quarles, Shenstone, Cowper, Lloyd, and others.
Fables (1727)

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John Gay photo
John Gay 56
English poet and playwright 1685–1732

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