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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

Our whole life is like a play.
BEN JONSON

Life Play Whole
Prevent your day at morning.
BEN JONSON

Day Morning Prevent
A good poet’s made as well as born.
BEN JONSON

Born Made Poet
Still to be neat, still to be drest, As you were going to a feast, Still to be powder’d, all perfum’d. Lady, it is to be presumed, Though art’s hid causes are not found, All is not sweet, all is not sound.
BEN JONSON

Art Causes Drest Near Sweet
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
For he that once is good, is ever great.
BEN JONSON

Good Greatness Once
Art hath an enemy call’d ignorance .
BEN JONSON

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

False Giving News True
No simple word That shall be uttered at our mirthful board, Shall make us sad next morning; or affright The liberty that we’ll enjoy to-night.
BEN JONSON

Morning Regret Simple
A prince without letters is a Pilot without eyes. All his government is groping.
BEN JONSON

Eye Government Letter
Very few men are wise by their own council, or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself, had a fool for a master.
BEN JONSON

Men Teaching Wise
The two chief things that give a man reputation in counsel, are the opinion of his honesty, and the opinion of his wisdom; the authority of those two will persuade.
BEN JONSON

Honesty Men Persuade Simple Two Wisdom
Who casts to write a living line, must sweat.
BEN JONSON

Lines Sweat Writing
I see compassion may become a justice, though it be a weakness, I confess, and nearer a vice than a virtue.
BEN JONSON

Compassion Justice Weakness
I perceive affection makes a fool Of any man too much the father.
BEN JONSON

Father Men Parent

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.

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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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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