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It is an art to have so much judgment as to apparel a lie well, to give it a good dressing.

Ben Jonson

Still to be neat, still to be drest, As you were going to a feast, Still to be powder’d, all perfum’d. Lady, it is to be presumed, Though art’s hid causes are not found, All is not sweet, all is not sound.
BEN JONSON

Art Causes Drest Near Sweet
What excellent fools religion makes of men.
BEN JONSON

Men Religion Religious
That old bald cheater, Time.
BEN JONSON

Bald Cheater Old Time
Were Guilt is, Rage and Courage doth abound.
BEN JONSON

Guilt Guilty Shame
No glass renders a man’s form or likeness so true as his speech.
BEN JONSON

Glasses Men Speech
Whosoever loves not picture is injurious to truth, and all the wisdom of poetry. Picture is the invention of heaven, the most ancient and most akin to nature. It is itself a silent work, and always one and the same habit.
BEN JONSON

Ancient Heaven Silent
The covetous man never has money. The prodigal will have none shortly.
BEN JONSON

Men Money
It strikes! one, two, Three, four, five, six. Enough, enough, dear watch, Thy pulse hath beat enough. Now sleep and rest; Would thou could’st make the time to do so too; I’ll wind thee up no more.
BEN JONSON

Enough Pulse Sleep Time Wind
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
Nor use too swelling, or ill-sounded words . . . .
BEN JONSON

Sounded Swelling Use Words
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
Sweet meat must have sour sauce.
BEN JONSON

Meat Swans Sweet
The pipe marks the point at which the orangutan ends and man begins.
BEN JONSON

Men Smoking
Opinion is a light, vain, crude, and imperfect thing.
BEN JONSON

Imperfect Light Opinion Things
A valiant man Ought not to undergo, or tempt a danger, But worthily, and by selected ways, He undertakes with reason, not by chance. His valor is the salt t’ his other virtues, They’re all unseason’d without it.
BEN JONSON

Men Salt Way
A prince without letters is a Pilot without eyes. All his government is groping.
BEN JONSON

Eye Government Letter

It is an art to have so much judgment as to apparel a lie well, to give it a good dressing.

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It is an art to have so much judgment as to apparel a lie well, to give it a good dressing.

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