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Quotes by Ben Jonson
82 quotations from The Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1896), with the subject each one is filed under.
Pope's trans. In the hope to meet Shortly again, and make our absence sweet.— filed under Absence
Jerrold's Wit. Still to be neat, still to be drest, As you were going to a feast, Still to be powder'd, still perfum'd.— filed under Apparel
Johnson. 1784. Nay, if he take you in hand, sir, with an argument, He'll bray you in a mortar.— filed under Argument
Pray thee, take care, that tak'st my book in hand, To read it well; that is to understand.— filed under Books
When I would know thee *** my thought looks Upon thy well-made choice of friends and books; Then do I love thee, and behold thy ends In making thy friends books, and thy books friends.— filed under Books
Care that is entered once into the breast Will have the whole possession ere it rest.— filed under Care
The world knows only two, that's Rome and I.— filed under Conceit
'Tis no sin love's fruits to steal; But the sweet thefts to reveal; To be taken, to be seen, These have crimes accounted been.— filed under Crime
Writers that Carp at other Men's Books. 'Tis not the wholesome sharp morality, Or modest anger of a satiric spirit, That hurts or wounds the body of a state, But the sinister application Of the malicious, ignorant, and base Interpreter; who will distort and strain The general scope and purpose of an author To his particular and private spleen.— filed under Criticism
The Devil is an ass, I do acknowledge it.— filed under Devil, The
The dignity of truth is lost With much protesting.— filed under Disappointment
If you'd dip in such joys, come-the better, the quicker!- But remember the fee for it suits not my ends To let you make havoc, scot free, with my liquor, As though I were one of your heavy-pursed friends. k. HORACE. Bk. IV. Ode XII. To Virgil. Trans. by Theo. Martin. Nor shall our cups make any guilty men; But at our parting, we will be, as when We innocently met.— filed under Drinking
Well, as he brews, so shall he drink.— filed under Drinking
Johnson. Digestive cheese, and fruit there sure will be.— filed under Eating
Yet shall you have to rectify your palate, An olive, capers, or some better salad Ushering the mutton; with a short-legged hen, If we can get her, full of eggs, and then, Limons, and wine for sauce: to these a coney Is not to be despaired of for our money; And though fowl now be scarce, yet there are clerks, The sky not falling, think we may have larks.— filed under Eating
Pope's trans. Of Pan we sing, the best of leaders Pan, That leads the Naiads and the Dryads forth; And to their dances more than Hermes can, Hear, O you groves, and hills resound his worth.— filed under Bias
Hymn. I. The gods Grow angry with your patience. 'Tis their care, And must be yours, that guilty men escape not: As crimes do grow, justice should rouse itself.— filed under Bias
Underneath this stone doth lie As much beauty as could die; Which in life did harbor give To more virtue than doth live. If at all she had a fault, Leave it buried in this vault.— filed under And Cared Not How It Blew
Preserving the sweetness of proportion and expressing itself beyond expression.— filed under Expression
Do you wish to find out a person's weak points? Note the failings he has the quickest eye for in others. They may not be the very failings he is himself conscious of; but they will be their next-door neighbors. No man keeps such a jealous lookout as a rival. J. C. and A. W. HARE-Guesses at Truth. Bad men excuse their faults, good men will leave them.— filed under Faults
And so to tread As if the wind, not she, did walk; Nor prest a flower, nor bow'd a stalk.— filed under Footsteps
Delight. Her treading would not bend a blade of grass, Or shake the downy blow-ball from his stalk! C.— filed under Footsteps
True happiness Consists not in the multitude of friends, But in the worth and choice. Nor would I have Virtue a popular regard pursue: Let them be good that love me, though but few.— filed under Friends
A Charitable Man. How near to good is what is fair!— filed under Goodness
Pope's trans. For he that once is good, is ever great.— filed under Greatness
It is not growing like a tree In bulk, doth make man better be; Or standing long an oak, three hundred year, To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere: 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.— filed under Growth
Guilt's a terrible thing.— filed under Hair
Anecdotes of Johnson. P. 89. But I do hate him as I hate the devil.— filed under Hatred
He that departs with his own honesty For vulgar praise, doth it too dearly buy.— filed under Honesty
Great honours are great burdens, but on whom They are cast with envy, he doth bear two loads. His cares must still be double to his joys, In any dignity.— filed under Honor
A soft lip, Would tempt you to eternity of kissing!— filed under Kisses
Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll not look for wine.— filed under Kisses
Pope's trans. Laugh, and be fat, sir, your penance is known. They that love mirth, let them heartily drink, 'Tis the only receipt to make sorrow sink. S.— filed under Laughter
Our whole life is like a play.— filed under Life
Small Latin, and less Greek.— filed under Linguists
Who falls for love of God, shall rise a star.— filed under Martyrdom
Let them call it mischief: When it is past and prospered 'twill be virtue— filed under Mischief
Village. Get money; still get money, boy; No matter by what means.— filed under Money
Whilst that for which all virtue now is sold, And almost every vice, almighty gold.— filed under Money
Such a slender moon, going up and up, Waxing so fast from night to night, And swelling like an orange flower-bud, bright, Fated, methought, to round as to a golden cup, And hold to my two lips life's best of wine. JEAN INGELOw-Songs of the Night Watches. The First Watch. Pt. II. MOON (THE). Queen and huntress, chaste and fair, Now the sun is laid to sleep, Seated in thy silver car, State in wonted manner keep. Hesperus entreats thy light, Goddess, excellently bright!— filed under Monuments
Give me a look, give me a face, That makes simplicity a grace: Robes loosely flowing, hair as free; Such sweet neglect more taketh me Than all the adulteries of art; They strike mine eyes, but not my heart.— filed under Neglect
Quarrie of Pearls. And I had lent my watch last night to one That dines to-day at the sheriff's.— filed under December
It strikes! one, two, Three, four, five, six. Enough, enough, dear watch, Thy pulse hath beat enough. Now sleep and rest; Would thou could'st make the time to do so too; I'll wind thee up no more.— filed under Occupations-Jeweler
Piozzi's Anecdotes, 58. So wise, so grave, of so perplex'd a tongue, And loud withal, that would not wag, nor scarce Lie still without a fee.— filed under Occupations-Law
Yet the best pilots have need of mariners, besides sails, anchor and other tackle.— filed under Occupations-Navigation
Ods me I marle what pleasure or felicity they have in taking their roguish tobacco. It is good for nothing but to choke a man, and fill him full of smoke and embers.— filed under Occupations-Tobacconists
Still to be neat, still to be drest, As you were going to a feast.— filed under Order
Pleasure the servant, Virtue looking on.— filed under Aaron Burr
English Poets. Life of Waller. Still may syllables jar with time, Still may reason war with rhyme, Resting never!— filed under Poetry
Johnson. 1774. For a good poet's made, as well as born.— filed under Poets
All concord's born of contraries.— filed under Proverbs
See and to be seen.— filed under Proverbs
gg. L. 66. There shall be no love lost. hh.— filed under Proverbs
The burnt child dreads the fire. gg.— filed under Iii
Bryant's trans. 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.— filed under Regret
A prince without letters is a Pilot without eyes. All his government is groping.— filed under Royalty
Illiteratus Princeps. Princes that would their people should do well Must at themselves begin, as at the head; For men, by their example, pattern out Their imitations, and regard of laws: A virtuous court a world to virtue draws.— filed under Royalty
They say Princes learn no art truly, but the art of horsemanship. The reason is, the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a Prince as soon as his groom.— filed under Royalty
Follow a shadow, it still flies you; Seem to fly it, it will pursue.— filed under Shadows
For a good poet's made, as well as born, And such wast thou! Look how the father's face Lives in his issue; even so the race Of Shakespeare's mind and manners brightly shine In his well-turned and true-filèd lines; In each of which he seems to shake a lance, As brandished at the eyes of ignorance.— filed under Shakespeare
Shakespeare. He was not of an age, but for all time! And all the Muses still were in their prime, When, like Apollo, he came forth to warm Our ears, or like a Mercury to charm!— filed under Shakespeare
Shakespeare. I remember, the players have often mentioned it as an honour to Shakespeare, that in his writing (whatsoever he penned) he never blotted out a line. My answer hath been, would he had blotted a thousand.— filed under Shakespeare
Nature herself was proud of his designs, And joyed to wear the dressing of his lines! Which were so richly spun, and woven so fit, As since, she will vouchsafe no other wit.— filed under Shakespeare
Shakespeare. Soul of the Age! The applause! delight! the wonder of our stage! My Shakespeare rise! I will not lodge thee by Chaucer, or Spenser, or bid Beaumont lie A little further off, to make thee room : Thou art a monument without a tomb, And art alive still, while thy book doth live And we have wits to read, and praise to give.— filed under Shakespeare
Shakespeare. Sweet Swan of Avon! What a sight it were To see thee in our water yet appear.— filed under Shakespeare
Shakespeare. This figure that thou here seest put, It was for gentle Shakespeare cut, Wherein the graver had a strife With Nature, to outdo the life: Oh, could he but have drawn his wit As well in brass, as he has hit His face, the print would then surpass All that was ever writ in brass; But since he cannot, reader, look Not on his picture, but his book.— filed under Shakespeare
Shakespeare. *** Thou hadst small Latin and less Greek.— filed under Shakespeare
Jerrold's Wit. Slander. Cut Men's throats with whisperings.— filed under Slander
Where it concerns himself, Who's angry at a slander, makes it true.— filed under Slander
Pope's trans. Hang sorrow, care 'll kill a cat.— filed under Sorrow
Breakfast Table. I. My thoughts and I were of another world.— filed under Thought
S. Alcxus. That old bald cheater, Time.— filed under Time
the reign of George I. Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine;— filed under To-Day
Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes. To the old, long life and treasure; To the young, all health and pleasure.— filed under To-Day
C. Bryant's trans. If he were To be made honest by an act of parliament I should not alter in my faith of him.— filed under Trust
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 They' all unseason'd without it.— filed under Valor
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.— filed under Voice
Rhymed Distichs. The thirst that from the soul doth rise, Doth ask a drink divine; But might I of Jove's nectar sup, I would not change for thine.— filed under Water
Pope's trans. Poor worms, they hiss at me, whilst I at home Can be contented to applaud myself, *** with joy To see how plump my bags are and my barns.— filed under Wealth
Johnson. 1779. But that which most doth take my muse and me, Is a pure cup of rich Canary wine, Which is the mermaid's now, but shall be mine.— filed under Wine And Spirits
Johnson. 1752. And where she went, the flowers took thickest root, As she had sow'd them with her odorous foot.— filed under Sam'L Johnson-Seward's
Wit. The Way to a Woman's Heart. Follow a shadow, it still flies you, Seem to fly it, it will pursue: So court a mistress, she denies you; Let her alone, she will court you. Say are not women truly, then, Styled but the shadows of us men?— filed under Wooing