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O! How vain and vile a passion is this fear! What base uncomely things it makes men do.

Ben Jonson

A lily of a day Is fairer far in May, Although it fall and die that night, It was the plant and flower of light. In small proportions we just beauties see, And in short measures life may perfect be.
BEN JONSON

Die Fall Flower Night Proportion
Now we are all fallen, youth from their fear, And age from that which bred it, good example.
BEN JONSON

Age Example Fallen Good Youth
Tis the common disease of all your musicians that they know no mean, to be entreated, either to begin or end.
BEN JONSON

Disease Mean Music
The voice so sweet, the words so fair, As some soft chime had stroked the air; And though the sound had parted thence, Still left an echo in the sense.
BEN JONSON

Air Echoes Parted Sweet Thence
What excellent fools religion makes of men.
BEN JONSON

Men Religion Religious
Where it concerns himself, Who’s angry at a slander, makes it true.
BEN JONSON

Angry Concern Slander
Opinion is a light, vain, crude, and imperfect thing.
BEN JONSON

Imperfect Light Opinion Things
Cut Men’s throats with whisperings.
BEN JONSON

Cutting Men Whispering
A valiant man Ought not to undergo, or tempt a danger, But worthily, and by selected ways, He undertakes with reason, not by chance. His valor is the salt t’ his other virtues, They’re all unseason’d without it.
BEN JONSON

Men Salt Way
You are not now to think what’s best to do, As in beginnings, but what must be done, Being thus enter’d; and slip no advantage That may secure you. Let them call it mischief; When it is past, and prosper’d , ’twill be virtue.
BEN JONSON

Mischief Past Virtue
Your highest female grace is silence.
BEN JONSON

Female Grace Silence
The day For whose returns, and many, all these pray; And so do I.
BEN JONSON

Birthday Praying Return
Whom hatred frights, let him not dream of sovereignty.
BEN JONSON

Dream Hate Hatred
Let those that merely talk and never think, That live in the wild anarchy of drink
BEN JONSON

Anarchy Drinking Thinking
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
Words borrowed of Antiquity do lend a kind of Majesty to style, and are not without their delight sometimes.
BEN JONSON

Past Winning Years

O! How vain and vile a passion is this fear! What base uncomely things it makes men do.

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O! How vain and vile a passion is this fear! What base uncomely things it makes men do.

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Popular Authors

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