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A good king is a public servant.

Ben Jonson

If you succeed not, cast not away the quills yet, nor scratch the wainscot, beat not the poor desk, but bring all to the forge and file again; turn it new.
BEN JONSON

Crafts Scratches Succeed
Thy praise or dispraise is to me alike; One doth not stroke me, nor the other strike.
BEN JONSON

Praise Strikes Strokes
Your highest female grace is silence.
BEN JONSON

Female Grace Silence
… the best pilots have need of mariners, besides sails, anchor and other tackle.
BEN JONSON

Anchors Needs Sea
And where she went, the flowers took thickest root, As she had sow’d them with her odorous foot.
BEN JONSON

Feet Flower Roots
Let argument bear no unmusical sound.
BEN JONSON

Argument Bears Sound
You learn nothing about someone by the way they win the fight, you learn everything about the way they lose and keep coming back.
BEN JONSON

Art Fighting Winning
Let those that merely talk and never think, That live in the wild anarchy of drink
BEN JONSON

Anarchy Drinking Thinking
It is virtue that gives glory; that will endenizen a man everywhere.
BEN JONSON

Giving Men Virtue
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
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
Calumnies are answered best with silence.
BEN JONSON

Advice Silence
Nor use too swelling, or ill-sounded words . . . .
BEN JONSON

Sounded Swelling Use Words
All concord’s born of contraries.
BEN JONSON

Born Contradiction Contrary
In small proportions we just beauties see; And in short measures, life may perfect be.
BEN JONSON

June Life Perfect Summer
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

A good king is a public servant.

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A good king is a public servant.

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