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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

Guilt’s a terrible thing.
BEN JONSON

Guilt Terrible Things
Passions are spiritual rebels and raise sedition against the understanding.
BEN JONSON

Passion Spiritual Understanding
Mischiefs feed / Like beasts, till they be fat, and then they bleed.
BEN JONSON

Beast Fats Mischief
Heaven prepares good men with crosses; but no ill can happen to a good man.
BEN JONSON

Good Man Heaven Men
Man and wife make one fool.
BEN JONSON

Marriage Men Wife
Great honours are great burdens, but on whom They are cast with envy, he doth bear two loads.
BEN JONSON

Envy Honor Two
How near to good is what is fair!
BEN JONSON

Fairs Good Goodness Near
Greatness of name, in the father, ofttimes helps not forth, but overwhelms the son: They stand too near one another. The shadow kills the growth.
BEN JONSON

Father Greatness Son
For they have the authority of years, and out of their intermission do win to themselves a kind of grace-like newness. But the eldest of the present, and newest of the past Language, is the best.
BEN JONSON

Intermission Newest Present Themselves
Hell itself must yield to industry.
BEN JONSON

Hell Industry Yield
Ambition, like a torrent, never looks back.
BEN JONSON

Ambition Inspiration Looks
The poet is the nearest borderer upon the orator.
BEN JONSON

Orators Oratory Poet
Reader look, not on his picture but his book.
BEN JONSON

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

Ears Speak Understanding
Drink today, and drown all sorrow; You shall perhaps not do it tomorrow; Best, while you have it, use your breath; There is no drinking after death.
BEN JONSON

Drinking Sorrow Use
Soul of the age! The applause! delight! The wonder of our stage!
BEN JONSON

Age Delight Soul Wonder
The way to rise is to obey and please.
BEN JONSON

Please Success Way
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
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
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
The burnt child dreads the fire.
BEN JONSON

Children Dread Fire
I’ll give anything for a good copy now, be it true or false, so it be news.
BEN JONSON

False Giving News True
Indeed there’s a woundy luck in names.
BEN JONSON

Indeed Luck Names Woundy
Calumnies are answered best with silence.
BEN JONSON

Advice Silence
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
Weigh the meaning and look not at the words.
BEN JONSON

Looks Meaning Weigh

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.

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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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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