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Tis the common disease of all your musicians that they know no mean, to be entreated, either to begin or end.

Ben Jonson

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

False Giving News True
Minds that are great and free, should not on fortune pause: ‘Tis crown enough to virtue still, her own applause.
BEN JONSON

Applause Crowns Mind Virtue
All discourses but my own afflict me; they seem harsh, impertinent, and irksome
BEN JONSON

Discourse Harsh Speech
It holds for good polity ever, to have that outwardly in vilest estimation, which inwardly is most dear to us.
BEN JONSON

Dear Estimation Hypocrisy
A new disease? I know not, new or old, but it may well be called poor mortals plague for, like a pestilence, it doth infect the houses of the brain till not a thought, or motion, in the mind, be free from the black poison of suspect.
BEN JONSON

Black Brain House
A good king is a public servant.
BEN JONSON

Good King Kings Servant
Ambition makes more trusty slaves than need
BEN JONSON

Ambition Needs Slave
For whose sake, henceforth, all his vows be such, As what he loves may never like too much.
BEN JONSON

Love May Sake
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
Get money, still get money, boy, no matter by what means.
BEN JONSON

Boys Mean Money
The soul of man is infinite in what it covets.
BEN JONSON

Infinite Men Soul
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
One woman reads another’s character Without the tedious trouble of deciphering
BEN JONSON

Character Trouble Women
Force works on servile natures, not the free.
BEN JONSON

Force Free Nature Servile
To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.
BEN JONSON

Communication Motivational Wise
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
Woman, the more careful she is about her face, the more careless about her house.
BEN JONSON

Faces Home House
Affliction teacheth a wicked person sometime to pray; prosperity never.
BEN JONSON

Affliction Person Prayer Wicked
The burnt child dreads the fire.
BEN JONSON

Children Dread Fire
Nor use too swelling, or ill-sounded words . . . .
BEN JONSON

Sounded Swelling Use Words
Wine it is the milk of Venus, And the poet’s horse accounted: Ply it and you all are mounted.
BEN JONSON

Horse Plies Wine
Sweet meat must have sour sauce.
BEN JONSON

Meat Swans Sweet
Now we are all fallen, youth from their fear, And age from that which bred it, good example.
BEN JONSON

Age Example Fallen Good Youth
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
Where it concerns himself, Who’s angry at a slander, makes it true.
BEN JONSON

Angry Concern Slander
True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.
BEN JONSON

Fine Melancholy Perfect Wit
How near to good is what is fair!
BEN JONSON

Fairs Good Goodness Near

Tis the common disease of all your musicians that they know no mean, to be entreated, either to begin or end.

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Tis the common disease of all your musicians that they know no mean, to be entreated, either to begin or end.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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