Ben Jonson Quotes

174 Sourced Quotes

Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak, and to speak well, are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks...

Ben Jonson
Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in the cup
And I'll not look for wine.
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.

Ben Jonson
O, for an engine, to keep back all clocks, or make the sun forget his motion!

Ben Jonson
True happiness
Consists not in the multitude of friends,
But in the worth and choice.

Ben Jonson
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.

Ben Jonson
Tis the common disease of all your musicians that they know no mean, to be entreated, either to begin or end.

Ben Jonson
A good man should and must Sit rather down with loss than rise unjust.

Ben Jonson
Thou art not, Penshurst, built to envious show
Of touch or marble, nor canst boast a row
Of polished pillars, or a roof of gold;
Thou hast no lantern whereof tales are told,
Or stair, or courts; but standst an ancient pile,
And these grudged at, art reverenced the while.

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

Ben Jonson
One woman reads another's character Without the tedious trouble of deciphering

Ben Jonson
Ready writing makes not good writing, but good writing brings on ready writing.

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

Ben Jonson
A good man will avoid the spot of any sin. The very aspersion is grievous, which makes him choose his way in his life, as he would in his journey.

Ben Jonson
I am beholden to calumny, that she hath so endeavored to belie me.-It shall make me set a surer guard on myself, and keep a better watch upon my actions.

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

Ben Jonson
All the wise world is little else, in nature, But parasites or subparasites.

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

Ben Jonson
Take heed, sickness, what you do, I shall fear you'll surfeit too. Live not we, as all they stalls, Spittles, pest-house, Hospitals, Scarce will take our present store?

Ben Jonson
No man is so foolish but may give another good counsel sometimes; and no man is so wise, but may easily err, if he will take no others counsel but his own. But very few men are wise by their own counsel; or learned by their own teaching. For he that was only taught by himself had a fool to his master.

Ben Jonson
It is virtue that gives glory; that will endenizen a man everywhere.

Ben Jonson
I would rather have a plain down-right wisdom than a foolish and affected eloquence.

Ben Jonson
As it is a great point of art, when our matter requires it, to enlarge and veer out all sail, so to take it in and contract it is of no less praise when the argument doth ask it.

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

Ben Jonson
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.

Ben Jonson
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, to make thee a 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.

Ben Jonson
It holds for good polity ever, to have that outwardly in vilest estimation, which inwardly is most dear to us.

Ben Jonson
Greatness of name in the father oft-times overwhelms the son; they stand too near one another. The shadow kills the growth: so much, that we see the grandchild come more and oftener to be heir of the first.

Ben Jonson
You that would last long, list to my song,
Make no more coil, but buy of this oil.
Would you be ever fair and young?
Stout of teeth and strong of tongue?
Tart of palate, quick of ear?
Sharp of sight, of nostril clear?
Moist of hand and light of foot?
(Or, I will come nearer to it)
Would you live free from all diseases,
Do the act your mistress pleases;
Yet fright all aches from your bones?
Here's a medicine for the nones.

Ben Jonson