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Court a mistress, she denies you; let her alone, she will court you.

Ben Jonson

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

Ears Speak Understanding
Hell itself must yield to industry.
BEN JONSON

Hell Industry Yield
The world knows only two, that’s Rome and I.
BEN JONSON

Conceited Fools Rome Two
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
Good men are the stars, the planets of the ages wherein they live, and illustrate the times.
BEN JONSON

Good Time Illustrate Men Stars
[The play] is like to be a very conceited scurvy one, in plain English.
BEN JONSON

Conceited English Plain Play
It is an art to have so much judgment as to apparel a lie well, to give it a good dressing.
BEN JONSON

Art Giving Lying
Tis the common disease of all your musicians that they know no mean, to be entreated, either to begin or end.
BEN JONSON

Disease Mean Music
Weigh the meaning and look not at the words.
BEN JONSON

Looks Meaning Weigh
Wine it is the milk of Venus, And the poet’s horse accounted: Ply it and you all are mounted.
BEN JONSON

Horse Plies Wine
Peace is never more than one thought away.
BEN JONSON

Away Harmony More Peace
Mischiefs feed / Like beasts, till they be fat, and then they bleed.
BEN JONSON

Beast Fats Mischief
Vice Is like a fury to the vicious mind, And turns delight itself to punishment.
BEN JONSON

Mind Punishment Vices
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
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
They, who know no evil, will suspect none.
BEN JONSON

Evil Knows Suspect

Court a mistress, she denies you; let her alone, she will court you.

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Court a mistress, she denies you; let her alone, she will court you.

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