Ben Jonson Quotes - Page 6

Quotes about:

• 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

  Sweet, Art, Causes

  'Epicoene' (1609) act 1, sc. 1

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• There is no bounty to be showed to such
  As have real goodness: Bounty is
  A spice of virtue; and what virtuous act
  Can take effect on them that have no power
  Of equal habitude to apprehend it?

  Ben Jonson

  Real, Spices, Virtue

  Ben Jonson, Margaret Jane Kidnie (2000). “Poetaster, Or, The Arraignment: Sejanus His Fall ; The Devil is an Ass ; The New Inn, Or, The Light Heart”, p.59, Oxford : Oxford University Press

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• 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 unseason'd without it.

  Ben Jonson

  Men, Way, Salt

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• Ready writing makes not good writing, but good writing brings on ready writing.

  Ben Jonson

  Writing, Good Writing, Ready

  Timber: or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter (published 1640).

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• When a virtuous man is raised, it brings gladness to his friends, grief to his enemies, and glory to his posterity.

  Ben Jonson

  Grief, Men, Enemy

  Ben Jonson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ben Jonson (Illustrated)”, p.3198, Delphi Classics

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• Sweet meat must have sour sauce.

  Ben Jonson

  Sweet, Swans, Meat

  Ben Jonson (1756). “Poetaster; or, His arraignm[e]nt. Sejanus his fall. Volpone; or, The fox. Epicoene; or, The silent woman”, p.45

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• For whose sake, henceforth, all his vows be such, As what he loves may never like too much.

  Ben Jonson

  Love, May, Sake

  Ben Jonson, William Gifford (1857). “The Works of Ben Jonson”, p.788

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• It is an art to have so much judgment as to apparel a lie well, to give it a good dressing.

  Ben Jonson

  Art, Lying, Giving

  Ben Jonson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ben Jonson (Illustrated)”, p.3178, Delphi Classics

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• Many punishments sometimes, and in some cases, as much discredit a prince as many funerals a physician.

  Ben Jonson

  Punishment, Funeral, Physicians

  Ben Jonson (1756). “The Works of Ben. Jonson: Underwoods. Timber; or, Discoveries made upon men and matter. Horace, Of the art of poetry [with an English translation by Jonson]. The English grammar. Leges convivales, rules for the Tavern Academy. The case is altered”, p.108

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• Art hath an enemy call'd ignorance .

  Ben Jonson

  Art, Ignorance, Enemy

  Ben Jonson (1756). “Every man in his humour. Every man out of his humour. Cynthia's revels; or, the fountain of self-love”, p.149

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• He that would have his virtue published, is not the servant of virtue, but glory.

  Ben Jonson

  Virtue, Glory, Servant

  Ben Jonson, Barry Cornwall (1838). “The Works of B. J. with a Memoir of His Life and Writings, by Barry Cornwall [i.e. B. W. Procter].”, p.754

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• Neither do thou lust after that tawny weed tobacco.

  Ben Jonson

  Weed, Marijuana, Lust

  Ben Jonson (1999). “Five Plays”, p.529, Oxford University Press, USA

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• Heaven prepares good men with crosses; but no ill can happen to a good man.

  Ben Jonson

  Men, Heaven, Good Man

  Ben Jonson (1838). “The Works of Ben Jonson”, p.741

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• The soul of man is infinite in what it covets.

  Ben Jonson

  Men, Soul, Infinite

  Ben Jonson (1875). “The works of Ben Jonson, with notes, and a biogr. memoir, by W. Gifford. With intr. and appendices by F. Cunningham”, p.42

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• Nor shall our cups make any guilty men;
  But at our parting, we will be, as when
  We innocently met.

  Ben Jonson

  Drinking, Men, Cups

  1616 Epigrams,'On Inviting a Friend to Supper'.

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• He that is respectless in his courses oft sells his reputation at cheap market.

  Ben Jonson

  Reputation, Courses, Sells

  Ben Jonson (1752). “Every Man in His Humour: A Comedy. Written by Ben Jonson. With Alterations and Additions. As it is Perform'd at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane”, p.3

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• It is a note
  Of upstart greatness to observe and watch
  For these poor trifles, which the noble mind
  Neglects and scorns.

  Ben Jonson

  Greatness, Mind, Watches

  Ben Jonson, William Gifford (1816). “The Works of Ben Jonson ...: With Notes Critical and Explanatory, and Biographical Memoir”, p.137

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• O! How vain and vile a passion is this fear! What base uncomely things it makes men do.

  Ben Jonson

  Fear, Passion, Men

  Ben Jonson, William Gifford (1816). “The Works of Ben Jonson...: With Notes Critical and Explanatory, and a Biographical Memoir”, p.133

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• 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, Self, Law

  Ben Jonson, William Gifford (1816). “The Works of Ben Jonson...: With Notes Critical and Explanatory, and a Biographical Memoir”, p.258

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• Tis not the wholesome sharp mortality,
  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.

  Ben Jonson

  Hurt, Ignorant, Criticism

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• All concord's born of contraries.

  Ben Jonson

  Contradiction, Born, Contrary

  Ben Jonson (1756). “Works: Collated with all the former editions, and corrected with notes critical and explanatory”, p.410

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• Spread yourself upon his bosom publicly, whose heart you would eat in private.

  Ben Jonson

  Heart, Hypocrisy, Spread

  Ben Jonson, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher (1811). “The Dramatic Works of Ben Jonson, and Beaumont and Fletcher”, p.68

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• 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

  Wise, Teaching, Men

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• I now think, Love is rather deaf, than blind, For else it could not be, That she, Whom I adore so much, should so slight me, And cast my love behind.

  Ben Jonson

  Love Is, Thinking, Blind

  Ben Jonson, William Gifford (1857). “The Works of Ben Jonson”, p.814

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• All discourses but my own afflict me; they seem harsh, impertinent, and irksome

  Ben Jonson

  Speech, Harsh, Discourse

  Ben Jonson, William Gifford (1816). “The Works of Ben Jonson...: With Notes Critical and Explanatory, and a Biographical Memoir”, p.363

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