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

Ben Jonson

I have discovered that a famed familiarity in great ones is a note of certain usurpation on the less; for great and popular men feign themselves to be servants to others to make those slaves to them.
BEN JONSON

Men Popularity Slave
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
Many punishments sometimes, and in some cases, as much discredit a prince as many funerals a physician.
BEN JONSON

Funeral Physicians Punishment
Forbear, you things That stand upon the pinnacles of state, To boast your slippery height! when you do fall, You dash yourselves in pieces, ne’er to rise: And he that lends you pity, is not wise.
BEN JONSON

Boast Fall Pieces Wise
What excellent fools religion makes of men.
BEN JONSON

Men Religion Religious
Get money, still get money, boy, no matter by what means.
BEN JONSON

Boys Mean Money
If all you boast of your great art be true; Sure, willing poverty lives most in you.
BEN JONSON

Art Being Poverty True
Force works on servile natures, not the free.
BEN JONSON

Force Free Nature Servile
For whose sake, henceforth, all his vows be such, As what he loves may never like too much.
BEN JONSON

Love May Sake
I now think, Love is rather deaf, than blind, For else it could not be, That she, Whom I adore so much, should so slight me, And cast my love behind.
BEN JONSON

Blind Love Slight Thinking
Language most shows a man, speak that I may see thee.
BEN JONSON

Leadership May Men
A lily of a day Is fairer far in May, Although it fall and die that night, It was the plant and flower of light. In small proportions we just beauties see, And in short measures life may perfect be.
BEN JONSON

Die Fall Flower Night Proportion
I would rather have a plain down-right wisdom than a foolish and affected eloquence.
BEN JONSON

Affected Eloquence Foolish
A good man should and must Sit rather down with loss than rise unjust.
BEN JONSON

Good Loss Men Rise
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

Crafts Scratches Succeed
Soul of the age! The applause! delight! The wonder of our stage!
BEN JONSON

Age Delight Soul Wonder
Success produces confidence; confidence relaxes industry, and negligence ruins the reputation which accuracy had raised.
BEN JONSON

Relax Reputation Ruins
How Fortune piles her sports when she begins to practise them!
BEN JONSON

Fortune Practise Sports
There is no doctrine will do good where nature is wanting.
BEN JONSON

Creeds Doctrine Good Waiting
A thankful man owes a courtesy ever; the unthankful but when he needs it.
BEN JONSON

Gratitude Men Needs
For a man to write well, there are required three necessaries: to read the best authors, observe the best speakers, and much exercise of his own style.
BEN JONSON

Exercise Men Writing
The voice so sweet, the words so fair, As some soft chime had stroked the air; And though the sound had parted thence, Still left an echo in the sense.
BEN JONSON

Air Echoes Parted Sweet Thence
The man that is once hated, both his good and his evil deeds oppress him.
BEN JONSON

Evil Hate Men Oppress
Ready writing makes not good writing, but good writing brings on ready writing.
BEN JONSON

Good Ready Writing
It is virtue that gives glory; that will endenizen a man everywhere.
BEN JONSON

Giving Men Virtue
Well, as he brews, so shall he drink.
BEN JONSON

Beer Drink Wells
He was not of an age, but for all time!
BEN JONSON

Age Time

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

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

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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