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Who would ever care to do brave deed, Or strive in virtue others to excel, If none should yield him his deserved meed Due praise, that is the spur of doing well? For if good were not praised more than ill, None would choose goodness of his own free will.

Edmund Spenser

For deeds to die, however nobly done, And thoughts of men to as themselves decay, But wise words taught in numbers for to run, Recorded by the Muses, live for ay.
EDMUND SPENSER

Action Death Live Man Thinking Wisdom Word
I was promised on a time To have reason for my rhyme; From that time unto this season, I received nor rhyme nor reason.
EDMUND SPENSER

Myself Promise Reason Season Time
Be bold, and everywhere be bold.
EDMUND SPENSER

Bold Character Inspirational Personality
Fretting grief the enemy of life.
EDMUND SPENSER

Enemy Grief Life One Liner
For next to Death is Sleepe to be compared; Therefore his house is unto his annext: Here Sleepe, ther Richesse, and hel-gate them both betwext.
EDMUND SPENSER

Compare Death Help Home Sleep
Yet is there one more cursed than they all, That canker-worm, that monster, jealousie, Which eats the heart and feeds upon the gall, Turning all love’s delight to misery, Through fear of losing his felicity.
EDMUND SPENSER

Curse Feed Happiness Heart Jealous Lose Misery
How many perils doe enfold The righteous man to make him daily fall.
EDMUND SPENSER

Adversity Fall Flower Right
All sorts of flowers the which on earth do spring In goodly colours gloriously arrayed; Go to my love, where she is careless laid.
EDMUND SPENSER

Color Earth Flower Glory Goodness Herself Love Spring
All for love, and nothing for reward.
EDMUND SPENSER

Love Reward
Fondnesse it were for any being free, To covet fetters, though they golden bee.
EDMUND SPENSER

Freedom Gold
In one consort there sat cruel revenge and rancorous despite, disloyal treason and heart-burning hate.
EDMUND SPENSER

Burn Cruelty Death Hate Heart Oneself Revenge Treason
From good to bad, and from bad to worse, From worse unto that is worst of all, And then return to his former fall.
EDMUND SPENSER

Bad Fall Goodness Himself Return Worst
Who will not mercy unto others show, How can he mercy ever hope to have?
EDMUND SPENSER

Himself Hope Kindness Mercy
To be wise and eke to love, Is granted scarce to gods above.
EDMUND SPENSER

God Grant Love Wisdom
Full little knowest thou that hast not tried, What hell it is in suing long to bide: To loose good dayes, that might be better spent; To waste long nights in pensive discontent; To speed to-day, to be put back to-morrow; To feed on hope, to pine with feare and sorrow.
EDMUND SPENSER

Day Fear Feed Goodness Hell Hope Night Sorrow Speed Unknown Wasted
For since mine eyes your joyous sight did miss, my cheerful day is turned to cheerless night.
EDMUND SPENSER

Eyes Joy Missing Night
Hard it is to teach the old horse to amble anew.
EDMUND SPENSER

Hard Horse Old Teaching
All flesh doth frailty breed!
EDMUND SPENSER

Body Flesh Fragile
For evil deeds may better than bad words be borne.
EDMUND SPENSER

Action Bad Evil Home Word
This iron world bungs down the stoutest hearts to lowest state; for misery doth bravest minds abate.
EDMUND SPENSER

Heart Mindset Misery World
Sweet breathing Zephyrus did softly play, A gentle spirit, that lightly did delay Hot Titan’s beams, which then did glister fair.
EDMUND SPENSER

Breathe Fair Light Play Soft Spirit Sweet
So much more profitable and gracious is doctrine by example than by rule.
EDMUND SPENSER

Grace Profit Rule
Her angel’s face, As the great eye of heaven shined bright, And made a sunshine in the shady place.
EDMUND SPENSER

Angel Eyes Face Greatness Place Sunshine
Laws ought to be fashioned unto the manners and conditions of the people whom they are meant to benefit, and not imposed upon them according to the simple rule of right.
EDMUND SPENSER

Fashion Law Manner Right Rule Simplicity
So passeth, in the passing of a day, Of mortal life the leaf, the bud, the flower.
EDMUND SPENSER

Day Flower Life Mortal Pass
All love is sweet Given or returned And its familiar voice wearies not ever.
EDMUND SPENSER

Love Sweet Voice
Ill can he rule the great that cannot reach the small.
EDMUND SPENSER

Greatness Myself Reach Rule

Who would ever care to do brave deed, Or strive in virtue others to excel, If none should yield him his deserved meed Due praise, that is the spur of doing well? For if good were not praised more than ill, None would choose goodness of his own free will.

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Who would ever care to do brave deed, Or strive in virtue others to excel, If none should yield him his deserved meed Due praise, that is the spur of doing well? For if good were not praised more than ill, None would choose goodness of his own free will.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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