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True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.

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
It is a note Of upstart greatness to observe and watch For these poor trifles, which the noble mind Neglects and scorns.
BEN JONSON

Greatness Mind Scorn Watches
He that departs with his own honesty For Vulgar , doth it too dearly buy.
BEN JONSON

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

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

Father Men Parent
Fortune, thou hadst no deity, if men Had wisdom.
BEN JONSON

Fortune Men
If you be sick, your own thoughts make you sick
BEN JONSON

Illness Neurosis Sick
Aristotle was the first accurate critic and truest judge nay, the greatest philosopher the world ever had; for he noted the vices of all knowledges, in all creatures, and out of many men’s perfections in a science he formed still one Art.
BEN JONSON

Art Judging Men
Love that is ignorant and hatred have almost the same ends.
BEN JONSON

Hate Hatred Ignorant
Who falls for love of God, shall rise a star.
BEN JONSON

Fall Love Stars
I am beholden to calumny, that she hath so endeavored to belie me.-It shall make me set a surer guard on myself, and keep a better watch upon my actions.
BEN JONSON

Action Calumny Watches
Cut Men’s throats with whisperings.
BEN JONSON

Cutting Men Whispering
God wisheth none should wreck on a strange shelf: To him man’s dearer than to himself.
BEN JONSON

Men Strange Wrecks
Minds that are great and free, should not on fortune pause: ‘Tis crown enough to virtue still, her own applause.
BEN JONSON

Applause Crowns Mind Virtue
Princes that would their people should do well Must at themselves begin, as at the head; For men, by their example, pattern out Their limitations, and regard of laws: A virtuous court a world to virtue draws.
BEN JONSON

Example Law Men Patteren People
Chance will not do the work. Chance sends the breeze; But if the pilot slumber at the helm, The very wind that wafts us tow’rds the port May dash us on the shoals. The steersman’s part Is vigilance, or blow it rough or smooth.
BEN JONSON

Blow Slumber Wind
Cares that have entered once in the breast, will have whole possession of the rest.
BEN JONSON

Anxiety Care Possession
Where it concerns himself, Who’s angry at a slander, makes it true.
BEN JONSON

Angry Concern Slander
They, who know no evil, will suspect none.
BEN JONSON

Evil Knows Suspect
Nor use too swelling, or ill-sounded words . . . .
BEN JONSON

Sounded Swelling Use Words
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
For whose sake, henceforth, all his vows be such, As what he loves may never like too much.
BEN JONSON

Love May Sake
Were Guilt is, Rage and Courage doth abound.
BEN JONSON

Guilt Guilty Shame
In the hope to meet Shortly again, and make our absence sweet.
BEN JONSON

Absence Hope Love Miss Sweet
A good king is a public servant.
BEN JONSON

Good King Kings Servant
Queen and huntress, chaste and fair Now the sun is laid to sleep, Seated in thy silver chair, State in wonted manner keep: Hesperus entreats thy light Goddess, excellently bright.
BEN JONSON

Chair Light Queens Seated Sleep
The way to rise is to obey and please.
BEN JONSON

Please Success Way

True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.

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True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.

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