Then Old Age, and Experience, hand in hand,
Lead him to death, and make him understand,
After a Search so painful, and so long,
That all his Life he has been in the wrong.
John Wilmot
Orion's Cold Fire
All the Secrets of the Universe and Some Really Important Stuff Too!
Sounds like a thumbnail plot outline for “A Christmas Carol”.
This guy’s from the 1600’s. Maybe Dickens was a fan.