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Reader look, not on his picture but his book.

Ben Jonson

Well, I will scourge those apes, And to these courteous eyes oppose a mirror, As large as is the stage whereon we act; Where they shall see the time’s deformity Anatomised in every nerve, and sinew, With constant courage, and contempt of fear.
BEN JONSON

Act Apes Courage Eye Mirror Time
He was not of an age, but for all time!
BEN JONSON

Age Time
Rich apparel has strange virtues; it makes him that hath it without means esteemed for an excellent wit; he that enjoys it with means puts the world in remembrance of his means.
BEN JONSON

Mean Remembrance Rich World
Nothing is more short-lived than pride.
BEN JONSON

Live Pride Short
Ready writing makes not good writing, but good writing brings on ready writing.
BEN JONSON

Good Ready Writing
No simple word That shall be uttered at our mirthful board, Shall make us sad next morning; or affright The liberty that we’ll enjoy to-night.
BEN JONSON

Morning Regret Simple
Guilt’s a terrible thing.
BEN JONSON

Guilt Terrible Things
When a virtuous man is raised, it brings gladness to his friends, grief to his enemies, and glory to his posterity.
BEN JONSON

Enemy Grief Men
O! How vain and vile a passion is this fear! What base uncomely things it makes men do.
BEN JONSON

Fear Men Passion
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
Calumnies are answered best with silence.
BEN JONSON

Advice Silence
If you be sick, your own thoughts make you sick
BEN JONSON

Illness Neurosis Sick
The covetous man never has money. The prodigal will have none shortly.
BEN JONSON

Men Money
And where she went, the flowers took thickest root, As she had sow’d them with her odorous foot.
BEN JONSON

Feet Flower Roots
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
Whom the disease of talking still once posses-seth, he can never hold his peace.
BEN JONSON

Disease Talking
The Devil is an Ass , I do acknowledge it.
BEN JONSON

Acknowledge Ass Devil
Language most shows a man; speak that I may see thee; it springs out of the most retired and inmost parts of us, and is the image of the parent of it, the mind. No glass renders a man’s form or likeness so true as his speech.
BEN JONSON

Glasses Men Spring
What excellent fools religion makes of men.
BEN JONSON

Men Religion Religious
Who falls for love of God, shall rise a star.
BEN JONSON

Fall Love Stars
We are persons of quality, I assure you, and women of fashion, and come to see and to be seen.
BEN JONSON

Fashion Quality Women
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
Words borrowed of Antiquity do lend a kind of Majesty to style, and are not without their delight sometimes.
BEN JONSON

Past Winning Years
True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in the worth and choice.
BEN JONSON

Friendship Happiness Positive
Hell itself must yield to industry.
BEN JONSON

Hell Industry Yield
Truth is man’s proper good, and the only immortal thing was given to our mortality to use.
BEN JONSON

Men Truth Use
How ready is heaven to those that pray!
BEN JONSON

Heaven Prayer Praying

Reader look, not on his picture but his book.

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Reader look, not on his picture but his book.

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