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Honor’s a good brooch to wear in a man’s hat at all times.

Ben Jonson

For a man to write well, there are required three necessaries: to read the best authors, observe the best speakers, and much exercise of his own style.
BEN JONSON

Exercise Men Writing
Force works on servile natures, not the free.
BEN JONSON

Force Free Nature Servile
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
Money never made any man rich, but his mind. He that can order himself to the law of nature, is not only without the sense, but the fear of poverty.
BEN JONSON

Law Men Mind Order Sense
Where it concerns himself, Who’s angry at a slander, makes it true.
BEN JONSON

Angry Concern Slander
Follow a shadow, it still flies you, Seem to fly, it will pursue: So court a mistress, she denies you; Let her alone, she will court you. Say are not women truly, then, Styled but the shadows of us men?
BEN JONSON

Men Mistress Shadow
Prevent your day at morning.
BEN JONSON

Day Morning Prevent
Weigh the meaning and look not at the words.
BEN JONSON

Looks Meaning Weigh
If men will impartially, and not asquint, look toward the offices and function of a poet, they will easily conclude to themselves the impossibility of any man’s being a good poet without first being a good man.
BEN JONSON

Good Man Men Office
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
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
That I might live alone once with my gold! O, ’tis a sweet companion! kind and true: A man may trust it when his father cheats him, Brother, or friend, or wife. O wondrous pelf! That which makes all men false, is true itself.
BEN JONSON

Alone Brother Companions Money Sweet
He who is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.
BEN JONSON

Art Fool Inspirational
Ambition, like a torrent, never looks back.
BEN JONSON

Ambition Inspiration Looks
Calumnies are answered best with silence.
BEN JONSON

Advice Silence
Nothing is more short-lived than pride.
BEN JONSON

Live Pride Short

Honor’s a good brooch to wear in a man’s hat at all times.

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Honor’s a good brooch to wear in a man’s hat at all times.

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