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True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.

Ben Jonson

It holds for good polity ever, to have that outwardly in vilest estimation, which inwardly is most dear to us.
BEN JONSON

Dear Estimation Hypocrisy
The way to rise is to obey and please.
BEN JONSON

Please Success Way
Words borrowed of Antiquity do lend a kind of Majesty to style, and are not without their delight sometimes.
BEN JONSON

Past Winning Years
Nothing is more short-lived than pride.
BEN JONSON

Live Pride Short
Spread yourself upon his bosom publicly, whose heart you would eat in private.
BEN JONSON

Heart Hypocrisy Spread
He that would have his virtue published, is not the servant of virtue, but glory.
BEN JONSON

Glory Servant Virtue
Ambition, like a torrent, never looks back.
BEN JONSON

Ambition Inspiration Looks
A prince without letters is a Pilot without eyes. All his government is groping.
BEN JONSON

Eye Government Letter
Good men but see death, the wicked taste it.
BEN JONSON

Death Good Man Men
Still to be neat, still to be drest, As you were going to a feast, Still to be powder’d, all perfum’d. Lady, it is to be presumed, Though art’s hid causes are not found, All is not sweet, all is not sound.
BEN JONSON

Art Causes Drest Near Sweet
There is no bounty to be showed to such As have real goodness: Bounty is A spice of virtue; and what virtuous act Can take effect on them that have no power Of equal habitude to apprehend it?
BEN JONSON

Real Spices Virtue
Cares that have entered once in the breast, will have whole possession of the rest.
BEN JONSON

Anxiety Care Possession
Fear to do base, unworthy things is valor; if they be one to us, to suffer them is valor too.
BEN JONSON

Courage Suffering Valor
Force works on servile natures, not the free.
BEN JONSON

Force Free Nature Servile
As it is a great point of art, when our matter requires it, to enlarge and veer out all sail, so to take it in and contract it is of no less praise when the argument doth ask it.
BEN JONSON

Art Ask Matter Praise Style
I remember, the players have often mentioned it as an honour to Shakespeare, that in his writing (whatsoever he penned) he never plotted out a line. My answer hath been, would he had blotted a thousand.
BEN JONSON

Answer Lines Mention Penend Player Writing

True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.

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True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.

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