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I see compassion may become a justice, though it be a weakness, I confess, and nearer a vice than a virtue.

Ben Jonson

The world knows only two, that’s Rome and I.
BEN JONSON

Conceited Fools Rome Two
Let those that merely talk and never think, That live in the wild anarchy of drink
BEN JONSON

Anarchy Drinking Thinking
Ambition, like a torrent, ne’er looks back; And is a swelling, and the last affection A high mind can put off; being both a rebel Unto the soul and reason, and enforceth All laws, all conscience, treads upon religion, and offereth violence to nature’s self.
BEN JONSON

Ambition Conscience Law Rebel Self Soul
For they have the authority of years, and out of their intermission do win to themselves a kind of grace-like newness. But the eldest of the present, and newest of the past Language, is the best.
BEN JONSON

Intermission Newest Present Themselves
Soul of the age! The applause! delight! The wonder of our stage!
BEN JONSON

Age Delight Soul Wonder
There is no greater hell than to be a prisoner of fear.
BEN JONSON

Fear Hell No Prisoner
I know no disease of the soul but ignorance, a pernicious evil, the darkener of man’s life, the disturber of his reason, and common confounder of truth.
BEN JONSON

Ignorance Men Science
Art hath an enemy call’d ignorance .
BEN JONSON

Art Enemy Ignorance
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
The way to rise is to obey and please.
BEN JONSON

Please Success Way
Blueness doth express trueness.
BEN JONSON

Color Trueness
Calumnies are answered best with silence.
BEN JONSON

Advice Silence
Reader look, not on his picture but his book.
BEN JONSON

Book Looks Reader
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
No glass renders a man’s form or likeness so true as his speech.
BEN JONSON

Glasses Men Speech
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
Ambition makes more trusty slaves than need
BEN JONSON

Ambition Needs Slave
Mischiefs feed / Like beasts, till they be fat, and then they bleed.
BEN JONSON

Beast Fats Mischief
Hell itself must yield to industry.
BEN JONSON

Hell Industry Yield
For whose sake, henceforth, all his vows be such, As what he loves may never like too much.
BEN JONSON

Love May Sake
The day For whose returns, and many, all these pray; And so do I.
BEN JONSON

Birthday Praying Return
Force works on servile natures, not the free.
BEN JONSON

Force Free Nature Servile
I have no urns, no dusty monuments; No broken images of ancestors, Wanting an ear, or nose; no forged tales Of long descents, to boast false honors from.
BEN JONSON

Broken Honor Long
Money never made any man rich, but his mind. He that can order himself to the law of nature, is not only without the sense, but the fear of poverty.
BEN JONSON

Law Men Mind Order Sense
If you be sick, your own thoughts make you sick
BEN JONSON

Illness Neurosis Sick
True melancholy breeds your perfect fine wit.
BEN JONSON

Fine Melancholy Perfect Wit
Get money, still get money, boy, no matter by what means.
BEN JONSON

Boys Mean Money

I see compassion may become a justice, though it be a weakness, I confess, and nearer a vice than a virtue.

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I see compassion may become a justice, though it be a weakness, I confess, and nearer a vice than a virtue.

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Popular Authors

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