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One woman reads another’s character Without the tedious trouble of deciphering

Ben Jonson

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

Looks Meaning Weigh
A good man should and must Sit rather down with loss than rise unjust.
BEN JONSON

Good Loss Men Rise
I do honor the very flea of his dog.
BEN JONSON

Dog Hero Honor
Many might go to heaven with half the labour they go to hell, if they would venture their industry the right way.
BEN JONSON

Half Heaven Venture
[The play] is like to be a very conceited scurvy one, in plain English.
BEN JONSON

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

Ears Speak Understanding
That I might live alone once with my gold! O, ’tis a sweet companion! kind and true: A man may trust it when his father cheats him, Brother, or friend, or wife. O wondrous pelf! That which makes all men false, is true itself.
BEN JONSON

Alone Brother Companions Money Sweet
Where dost thou careless lie, Buried in ease and sloth? Knowledge that sleeps, doth die; And this security, It is the common moth, That eats on wits and arts, and oft destroys them both.
BEN JONSON

Art Common Lying Security Sleep
Who falls for love of God, shall rise a star.
BEN JONSON

Fall Love Stars
In small proportions we just beauties see; And in short measures, life may perfect be.
BEN JONSON

June Life Perfect Summer
Words borrowed of Antiquity do lend a kind of Majesty to style, and are not without their delight sometimes.
BEN JONSON

Past Winning Years
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
There is no doctrine will do good where nature is wanting.
BEN JONSON

Creeds Doctrine Good Waiting
Give me a look, give me a face, That makes simplicity a grace Robes loosely flowing, hair as free Such sweet neglect more taketh me Than all the adulteries of art: They strike mine eyes, but not my heart.
BEN JONSON

Art Eye Neglect Simplicity Sweet
Tell troth and shame the devil.
BEN JONSON

Devil Shame Truth

One woman reads another’s character Without the tedious trouble of deciphering

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One woman reads another’s character Without the tedious trouble of deciphering

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