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

Ben Jonson

You are not now to think what’s best to do, As in beginnings, but what must be done, Being thus enter’d; and slip no advantage That may secure you. Let them call it mischief; When it is past, and prosper’d , ’twill be virtue.
BEN JONSON

Mischief Past Virtue
Nor use too swelling, or ill-sounded words . . . .
BEN JONSON

Sounded Swelling Use Words
He threatens many that hath injured one.
BEN JONSON

Crime Injured Threaten
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
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
There is no doctrine will do good where nature is wanting.
BEN JONSON

Creeds Doctrine Good Waiting
The way to rise is to obey and please.
BEN JONSON

Please Success Way
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
I feel my griefs too, and there scarce is ground Upon my flesh t’inflict another wound. Yet dare I not complain, or wish for death With holy Paul; lest it be thought the breath Of discontent; or that these prayers be For weariness of life, not love of thee.
BEN JONSON

Another Grief Prayer Weariness Wish Wound
To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.
BEN JONSON

Communication Motivational Wise
Let argument bear no unmusical sound.
BEN JONSON

Argument Bears Sound
He that would have his virtue published, is not the servant of virtue, but glory.
BEN JONSON

Glory Servant Virtue
Chance will not do the work. Chance sends the breeze; But if the pilot slumber at the helm, The very wind that wafts us tow’rds the port May dash us on the shoals. The steersman’s part Is vigilance, or blow it rough or smooth.
BEN JONSON

Blow Slumber Wind
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
The burnt child dreads the fire.
BEN JONSON

Children Dread Fire
Woman, the more careful she is about her face, the more careless about her house.
BEN JONSON

Faces Home House

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

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

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Popular Authors

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