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Our whole life is like a play.

Ben Jonson

Well, I will scourge those apes, And to these courteous eyes oppose a mirror, As large as is the stage whereon we act; Where they shall see the time’s deformity Anatomised in every nerve, and sinew, With constant courage, and contempt of fear.
BEN JONSON

Act Apes Courage Eye Mirror Time
Hell itself must yield to industry.
BEN JONSON

Hell Industry Yield
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
Nor for my peace will I go far, As wanderers do, that still do roam, But make my strengths, such as they are, Here in my bosom, and at home.
BEN JONSON

Home Stills Wanderers
Ready writing makes not good writing, but good writing brings on ready writing.
BEN JONSON

Good Ready Writing
Indeed there’s a woundy luck in names.
BEN JONSON

Indeed Luck Names Woundy
Who falls for love of God, shall rise a star.
BEN JONSON

Fall Love Stars
Tell troth and shame the devil.
BEN JONSON

Devil Shame Truth
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
Good men are the stars, the planets of the ages wherein they live, and illustrate the times.
BEN JONSON

Good Time Illustrate Men Stars
Confound these ancestors… They’ve stolen our best ideas!
BEN JONSON

Funny Humor Ideas
True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in the worth and choice.
BEN JONSON

Friendship Happiness Positive
They, who know no evil, will suspect none.
BEN JONSON

Evil Knows Suspect
I have been at my book; and am now past the craggy paths of study, and come to the flowery plains of honour and reputation
BEN JONSON

Education Inspirational Past
I perceive affection makes a fool Of any man too much the father.
BEN JONSON

Father Men Parent
Sweet Swan of Avon! What a sight it were To see thee in our water yet appear.
BEN JONSON

Sight Swans Sweet
I now think, Love is rather deaf, than blind, For else it could not be, That she, Whom I adore so much, should so slight me, And cast my love behind.
BEN JONSON

Blind Love Slight Thinking
Well, as he brews, so shall he drink.
BEN JONSON

Beer Drink Wells
Court a mistress, she denies you; let her alone, she will court you.
BEN JONSON

Court Deny Mistress
Ambition, like a torrent, ne’er looks back; And is a swelling, and the last affection A high mind can put off; being both a rebel Unto the soul and reason, and enforceth All laws, all conscience, treads upon religion, and offereth violence to nature’s self.
BEN JONSON

Ambition Conscience Law Rebel Self Soul
Were Guilt is, Rage and Courage doth abound.
BEN JONSON

Guilt Guilty Shame
Poets are far rarer birds than kings.
BEN JONSON

Bird Kings Poet
Folly often goes beyond her bounds, but impudence knows none.
BEN JONSON

Folly Impudence Rudeness
Peace is never more than one thought away.
BEN JONSON

Away Harmony More Peace
[The play] is like to be a very conceited scurvy one, in plain English.
BEN JONSON

Conceited English Plain Play
A new disease? I know not, new or old, but it may well be called poor mortals plague for, like a pestilence, it doth infect the houses of the brain till not a thought, or motion, in the mind, be free from the black poison of suspect.
BEN JONSON

Black Brain House
A thankful man owes a courtesy ever; the unthankful but when he needs it.
BEN JONSON

Gratitude Men Needs

Our whole life is like a play.

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Our whole life is like a play.

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