what does the poet mean by wise saws and modern instances?
Answers
This meaning of the line “ full of wise saws and the modern instances” of the seven ages is that the when the poet was young man became the little old and he became experienced and told the younger people that do not do the same mistake which he had done in the manhood.
He have given the instances for the different situations and compared with the time.
"Wise saws and modern instances", this line is taken from the extract "Seven ages of life" by William Shakespeare.
This extract is from the "play", "As you like i" which is famous for its first line, "All the world's a stage". It is part of a monologue by Jacques. He proclaims that a Man plays 7 roles in his life which is decided by God.
He goes through 7 stages, i.e., being an infant, a schoolboy, a teenager, a young soldier, a middle-aged man, who is settled and is wise, and an old aged man. At the last stage, he becomes extremely old and is in his second childhood.
The line "wise saws and modern instances" are a part of the 5th stage when a man is mature and wise, has knowledge on Justice, legal rulings, and judgments.