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Your highest female grace is silence.

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
Ambition makes more trusty slaves than need
BEN JONSON

Ambition Needs Slave
Fortune, thou hadst no deity, if men Had wisdom.
BEN JONSON

Fortune Men
Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss but in the cup And I’ll not look for wine.
BEN JONSON

Food Romantic Wine
A good poet’s made as well as born.
BEN JONSON

Born Made Poet
Give me a look, give me a face, That makes simplicity a grace Robes loosely flowing, hair as free Such sweet neglect more taketh me Than all the adulteries of art: They strike mine eyes, but not my heart.
BEN JONSON

Art Eye Neglect Simplicity Sweet
Language most shows a man; speak that I may see thee; it springs out of the most retired and inmost parts of us, and is the image of the parent of it, the mind. No glass renders a man’s form or likeness so true as his speech.
BEN JONSON

Glasses Men Spring
… the best pilots have need of mariners, besides sails, anchor and other tackle.
BEN JONSON

Anchors Needs Sea
Who casts to write a living line, must sweat.
BEN JONSON

Lines Sweat Writing
There is no greater hell than to be a prisoner of fear.
BEN JONSON

Fear Hell No Prisoner
Popular men, They must create strange monsters, and then quell them, To make their arts seem something.
BEN JONSON

Art Men Monsters
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
In the hope to meet Shortly again, and make our absence sweet.
BEN JONSON

Absence Hope Love Miss Sweet
Forbear, you things That stand upon the pinnacles of state, To boast your slippery height! when you do fall, You dash yourselves in pieces, ne’er to rise: And he that lends you pity, is not wise.
BEN JONSON

Boast Fall Pieces Wise
If all you boast of your great art be true; Sure, willing poverty lives most in you.
BEN JONSON

Art Being Poverty True
The dignity of truth is lost with much protesting.
BEN JONSON

Dignity Life Losing

Your highest female grace is silence.

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Your highest female grace is silence.

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