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

Ben Jonson

A good poet’s made as well as born.
BEN JONSON

Born Made Poet
It is virtue that gives glory; that will endenizen a man everywhere.
BEN JONSON

Giving Men Virtue
Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss but in the cup And I’ll not look for wine.
BEN JONSON

Food Romantic Wine
Hell itself must yield to industry.
BEN JONSON

Hell Industry Yield
Who falls for love of God, shall rise a star.
BEN JONSON

Fall Love Stars
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
Nothing is more short-lived than pride.
BEN JONSON

Live Pride Short
He that departs with his own honesty For Vulgar , doth it too dearly buy.
BEN JONSON

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

Praise Strikes Strokes
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
Woman, the more careful she is about her face, the more careless about her house.
BEN JONSON

Faces Home House
He was not of an age, but for all time!
BEN JONSON

Age Time
The covetous man never has money. The prodigal will have none shortly.
BEN JONSON

Men Money
If men will impartially, and not asquint, look toward the offices and function of a poet, they will easily conclude to themselves the impossibility of any man’s being a good poet without first being a good man.
BEN JONSON

Good Man Men Office
It is as great a spite to be praised in the wrong place, and by a wrong person, as can be done to a noble nature.
BEN JONSON

Done Noble Person Wrong
Silence in woman is like speech in man.
BEN JONSON

Men Silence Speech
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
Fortune, thou hadst no deity, if men Had wisdom.
BEN JONSON

Fortune Men
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
Who casts to write a living line, must sweat.
BEN JONSON

Lines Sweat Writing
All concord’s born of contraries.
BEN JONSON

Born Contradiction Contrary
A prince without letters is a Pilot without eyes. All his government is groping.
BEN JONSON

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

Ears Speak Understanding
Nor use too swelling, or ill-sounded words . . . .
BEN JONSON

Sounded Swelling Use Words
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
My thoughts and I were of another world.
BEN JONSON

Another World Thoughts
Ready writing makes not good writing, but good writing brings on ready writing.
BEN JONSON

Good Ready Writing

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

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

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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