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They, who know no evil, will suspect none.

Ben Jonson

I have no urns, no dusty monuments; No broken images of ancestors, Wanting an ear, or nose; no forged tales Of long descents, to boast false honors from.
BEN JONSON

Broken Honor Long
He that would have his virtue published, is not the servant of virtue, but glory.
BEN JONSON

Glory Servant Virtue
How near to good is what is fair!
BEN JONSON

Fairs Good Goodness Near
Confound these ancestors… They’ve stolen our best ideas!
BEN JONSON

Funny Humor Ideas
Fortune, that favors fools.
BEN JONSON

Favors Fool Fortune
Nor shall our cups make any guilty men; But at our parting, we will be, as when We innocently met.
BEN JONSON

Cup Drinking Men
Whom hatred frights, let him not dream of sovereignty.
BEN JONSON

Dream Hate Hatred
The burnt child dreads the fire.
BEN JONSON

Children Dread Fire
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
He who is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.
BEN JONSON

Art Fool Inspirational
The dignity of truth is lost with much protesting.
BEN JONSON

Dignity Life Losing
Cares that have entered once in the breast, will have whole possession of the rest.
BEN JONSON

Anxiety Care Possession
Popular men, They must create strange monsters, and then quell them, To make their arts seem something.
BEN JONSON

Art Men Monsters
It is less dishonor to hear imperfectly than to speak imperfectly. The ears are excused; the understanding is not.
BEN JONSON

Ears Speak Understanding
Tell troth and shame the devil.
BEN JONSON

Devil Shame Truth
What excellent fools religion makes of men.
BEN JONSON

Men Religion Religious
I know no disease of the soul but ignorance, a pernicious evil, the darkener of man’s life, the disturber of his reason, and common confounder of truth.
BEN JONSON

Ignorance Men Science
Soul of the age! The applause! delight! The wonder of our stage!
BEN JONSON

Age Delight Soul Wonder
Tis no sin love’s fruits to steal; But the sweet thefts to reveal; To be taken, to be seen, These have crimes accounted been.
BEN JONSON

Fruit Sweet Taken
To men pressed by their wants all change is ever welcome.
BEN JONSON

Change Men Want Welcome
Where dost thou careless lie, Buried in ease and sloth? Knowledge that sleeps, doth die; And this security, It is the common moth, That eats on wits and arts, and oft destroys them both.
BEN JONSON

Art Common Lying Security Sleep
He that departs with his own honesty For Vulgar , doth it too dearly buy.
BEN JONSON

Honesty Vulgar
Ambition, like a torrent, never looks back.
BEN JONSON

Ambition Inspiration Looks
The man that is once hated, both his good and his evil deeds oppress him.
BEN JONSON

Evil Hate Men Oppress
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
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
It is virtue that gives glory; that will endenizen a man everywhere.
BEN JONSON

Giving Men Virtue

They, who know no evil, will suspect none.

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They, who know no evil, will suspect none.

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