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Popularity: Quotations from Shakespearian Quotations

All tongues speak of him, and the bleared sights— C. ii. 1.

Are spectacled to see him. Stalls, bulks, windows, Are smother'd up, leads fill'd, and ridges hors'd With variable complexions; all agreeing— ii. 1

In earnestness to see him. Had I so lavish of my presence been, So common hackney'd in the eyes of men So stale and cheap to vulgar company; Opinion, that did help me to the crown, Had still kept loyal to possession, And left me in reputeless banishment, A fellow of no mark, nor likelihood. By being seldom seen, I could not stir, But, like a comet, I was wonder'd at: That men would tell their children, That is he; Others would say, Where? which is Bolingbroke And then I stole all courtesy from heaven, And dress'd myself in such humility, That I did pluck allegiance from men's hearts, Loud shouts and salutations from men's mouths, Even in the presence of the crowned king. Thus did I keep my person fresh and new; My presence, like a robe pontifical, Ne'er seen, but wonder'd at: and so my state, Seldom, but sumptuous, showed like a feast; And won, by rareness, such solemnity. The skipping king, he ambled up and down, With shallow jesters, and rash pavin wits, Soon kindled, and soon burn'd: carded his state; Mingled his royalty with carping fools; Had his great name profaned with his scorns; And gave his countenance, against his name, To laugh at gibing boys, and stand the push Of every beardless vain comparative: Grew a companion to the common streets, Enfeoff'd himself to popularity: That being daily swallowed by men's eyes, They surfeited with honey; and began To loathe the taste of sweetness, whereof a little More than a little is by much too much. So, when he had occasion to be seen, He was but as the cuckoo is in June, Heard, not regarded; seen, but with such eyes, As, sick and blunted with community, Afford no extraordinary gaze, Such as is bent on sun-like majesty When it shines seldom in admiring eyes. H. IV. PT. I. iii. 2, I have seen The dumb men throng to see him, and the blind To hear him speak: the matrons flung their gloves, Ladies and maids their scarfs and handkerchiefs, Upon him as he pass'd: the nobles bended, As to Jove's statue; and the commons made A shower, and thunder, with their caps and shouts.— C. ii. 1

He's lov'd of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes; And, where 'tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd But never the offence.— H. iv. 3.

He returns, Splitting the air with noise.— C. v. 5.

It hath been taught us from the primal state, That he, which is, was wish'd until he were; And the ebb'd man, ne'er loved, till ne'er worth love, Comes dear'd by being lack'd. This common body, Like a vagabond flag upon the stream, Goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide, To rot itself with motion.— A.C. i. 4

Such a noise arose As the shrouds make at sea in a stiff tempest, As loud, and to as many tunes: hats, cloaks, (Doublets, I think,) flew up; and had their faces Been loose, this day they had been lost.— H. VIII. 1V. 1

Every wretch pining and pale before, Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks A largess universal, like the sun, Shakespearian Dictionary. POP His lib'ral eye doth give to every one,— H. V. iv. chorus

Thawing cold fear. Then, as I said, the Duke, great Bolingbroke, Mounted upon a hot and fiery steed, Which his aspiring rider seemed to know, With slow, but stately pace, kept on his course; While all tongues cry'd, -God save thee, Bolingbroke! You would have thought the very windows spake So many greedy looks of young and old Through casements darted their desiring eyes Upon his visage; - and that all the walls, With painted imag'ry, had said at once,- JESU preserve thee: Welcome, Bolingbroke! Whilst he, from one side to the other turning, Bare-headed, lower than his proud steed's neck, Bespake them thus:-I thank you, countrymen; And thus still doing, thus he passed along.— R. II. v. 2.

If the tag-rag people did not clap him, and hiss him, according as he pleased, and displeased them, as they use to— J.C. i. 2.

do the players in the theatre, I am no true man. J.C. i. 2. Marry, before he fell down when he perceived the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet, and offered them his throat to cut. An I had been a man of any occupation, if I would not have taken him at his word, I would I might go to hell, among the rogues; and so he fell. When he came to himself again, he said, If he had done, or said, anything amiss, he desired their worships to think it was his infirmity. Three or four wenches, where I stood, cried, Alas, good soul, -and forgave him with all their hearts.— J.C. i 2.

Since the wisdom of their choice, is rather to have my hat than my heart, I will practise the insinuating nod, and be off to them most counterfeitly; that is, Sir, I will counterfeit the bewitchment of some popular man, and give it— C. ii. 3.

bountifully to the desirers. The rabble call him lord: And, as the world were now but to begin, Antiquity forgot, custom not known, The ratifiers and props of every word,— H. iv 5

They cry,-Choose we; Laertes shall be king! Now, when the lords, and barons of the realm, Perceiv'd Northumberland did lean to him, The more and less came in with cap and knee; Met him in boroughs, cities, villages; Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes, Laid gifts before him, proffer'd him their oaths, Gave him their heirs, as pages follow'd him, Even at his heels, in golden multitudes. He presently, -as greatness knows itself,- Steps me a little higher than his vow Made to my father, while his blood was poor, Upon the naked shore at Ravenspurg; And now, forsooth, takes on him to reform Some certain edicts, and some strait decrees, That lie too heavy on the commonwealth: Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep Over his country's wrongs; and, by this face This seeming brow of justice, did he win The hearts of all that he did angle for.— H. IV. PT. I. iv. 3

You see, how all conditions, how all minds, (As well of glib and slippery creatures, as Of grave and austere quality,) tender down Their services to Lord Timon; his large fortune Upon his good and gracious nature hanging, Subdues and properties to his love and tendance All sorts of hearts.— T. A. i. 1.

The wisdom of their choice is, rather to have my hat than my heart.— C. ii: 3

Ourself Observ'd his courtship to the common people: How he did seem to dive into their hearts, With humble and familiar courtesy; What reverence he did throw away on slaves; Wooing poor craftsmen with the craft of smiles, And patient underbearing of his fortune, As 'twere to banish their effects with him Off goes his bonnet to an oyster-wench; A brace of draymen bid-God speed him well! And had the tribute of his supple knee, With-Thanks, my countrymen, my loving friends.— R. II. i. 4

Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro, as this multitude?— H. VI. PT. II. iv. 8.

Look, as I blow this feather from my face, And as the air blows it to me again, Obeying with my wind when I do blow, And yielding to another when it blows, Commanded always by the greater gust; Such is the lightness of you common men.— H. VI, PT III. iii.

The common people swarm like summer flies, And whither fly the gnats but to the sun?— H. VI. PT. III. iì. 6.

The commonwealth is sick of their own choice, Their over-greedy love hath surfeited :- A habitation giddy and unsure Hath he, that buildeth on the vulgar heart. O thou fond many! with what loud applause Didst thou beat heaven with blessing Bolingbroke, Before he was what thou wouldst have him be! And being now trimm'd in thine own desires, Thou, beastly feeder, art so full of him, That thou provok'st thyself to cast him up.— H. IV. PT. II. i. 3.

When he had done, some followers of mine own At lower end of the hall, hurl'd up their caps, And some ten voices cried, God save King Richard! And thus I took the 'vantage of those few, - Thanks, gentle citizens, and friends, quoth I; This general applause, and cheerful shout, Argues your wisdom, and your love to Richard: And even here broke off, and came away.— R. III. iii. 7.

I had rather have one scratch my head i' the sun, When the alarum was struck, than idly sit— C. ii. 2.

To hear my nothings monster'd. Faith, there have been many great men who have flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there be many that they have lov'd, they know not wherefore; so that, if they love they know not why, they hate upon no— C. ii. 2.

better ground. I have not stopp'd mine ears to their demands, Nor posted off their suits with slow delays; My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds, My mildness hath allay'd their swelling griefs, My mercy dried their water-flowing tears: I have not been desirous of their wealth, Nor much oppress'd them with great subsidies, Nor forward of revenge, though they much err'd Then why should they love Edward more than me? f— H. VI. PT. III. iv. 8.

I love the people, But do not like to stage me to their eyes; Though it do well, I do not relish well Their loud applause, and aves vehement; Nor do I think the man of safe discretion, That does affect it.— M. M. i. 1.

Like one of two contending in a prize, That thinks he hath done well in people's eyes, Hearing applause, and universal shout, Giddy in spirit, still gazing in a doubt Whether those peals of praise be his or no.— M. V. iii. 2.