A Dictionary of Shakespearian Quotations

Every human feeling, answered by Shakespeare: an 1892 dictionary that files the Bard's best lines under the passions they express — from Ambition to Woe.

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World: Quotations from Shakespearian Quotations

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women, merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant; Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms: Aud then, the whining school-boy, with his satchel, And shining morning face, creeping, like snail, . Unwillingly to school: And then, the lover; Sighing like furnace, with a woful ballad • Made to his mistress' eye-brow: Then, a soldier, Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Ev'n in the cannon's mouth: And then, the justice. In fair round belly, with good capon lin'd, With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws, and modern instances, And so he plays his part: The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon; With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well sav'd, a world too wide For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again towards childish treble, pipes And whistles in the sound: Last scene of all. That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness, and mere oblivion; Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans every thing.— A. Y. ii. 7
Under the canopy.— C. iv. 5
The varying shore o' the world. This wide and universal theatre Presents more woful pageants, than the scene— 4. F. ii. 7
Wherein we play. O, world, thy slippery turns! Friends now fast sworn, Whose double bosoms seem to wear one heart, Whose hours, whose bed, whose meal, and exercise Are still together: who twin, as 'twere, in love, Unseparable, shall within this hour, On a dissention of a doit, break out To bitterest enmity: So, fellest foes, Whose passions and whose plots have broke their sleep, To take the one the other, by some chance, Some trick not worth an egg, shall grow dear friends, And interjoin their issues.— C. iv. 4.
A bad world, I say! I would, I were a weaver; I could— H. IV. PT. I. ii. 4.
sing all manner of songs. How you speak! Did you but know the city's usuries, And felt them knowingly: the art o' the court, As hard to leave, as keep; whose top to climb Is certain falling; or so slippery, that The fear's as bad as falling: the toil of the war, A pain that only seems to seek out danger I' the name of fame, and honour, which dies i' the search; And hath as oft a slanderous epitaph, As record of fair act; nay, many times, Doth ill deserve by doing well; what's worse, Must court'sey at the censure: -0, boys, this story,— Cym. iii. 5
The world may read in me. A man may see how this world goes, with no eyes. Look with thine ears: See how yon' justice rails upon yon' simple thief. Hark, in thine ear: Change places; and, handy. dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief? K. L. iv.— R. III. iii. 2.
It is a reeling world, indeed, my lord. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano, A stage, where every man must play a part,— M. V. i. 1.
And mine a sad one. Fie, fie, fie! Pah, pah! Give me an ounce of civet, good apothecary, to sweeten my imagination: there's money there's money— K L. iv. 6.
for thee. O ruin'd piece of nature! This great world— R L. iv. 6.
Shall so wear out to nought. Come, let's away to prison: We two alone will sing like birds i' the cage: When thou dost ask my blessing, I'll kneel down, And ask of thee forgiveness: So we'll live, And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh At gilded butterflies, and hear pocr rogues Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,- Who loses, and who wins; who's in, who's out ;- And take upon's the mystery of things, As if we were God's spies: And we'll wear out, In a wall'd prison, packs and sects of great ones, That ebb and flow by the moon.— K. L..
Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years Hath not yet div'd into the world's deceit: No more can you distinguish of a man, Than of his outward show, which, God he knows, Seldom, or never, jumpeth with the heart.— R. III. iii. 1
I am in this earthly world; where, to do harm, Is often laudable: to do good, sometimes Accounted dangerous folly.— M. iv. 2
You have too much respect upon the world: They lose it that do buy it with much care.— M. V. i. 1.
I am amaz'd, methinks; and lose my way Among the thorns and dangers of this world. K. J. iv. 3. 4- -'S REPORT. Noble madam, Men's evil manners live in brass: their virtues We write in water.— H. VIII. iv. 2.
The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.— J. C. iii. 2.
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