Philip Sidney Quotes

97 Sourced Quotes

My true-love hath my heart, and I have his,
By just exchange one for the other given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,
There never was a better bargain driven.

Philip Sidney
So, then, the best of the historian is subject to the poet; for whatsoever action or faction, whatsoever counsel, policy, or war-stratagem the historian is bound to recite, that may the poet, if he list, with his imitation make his own, beautifying it both for further teaching and more delighting, as it pleaseth him; having all, from Dante's Heaven to his Hell, under the authority of his pen.

Philip Sidney
Certainly, I must confess my own barbarousness, I never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas that I found not my heart moved more than with a trumpet.

Philip Sidney
Eagles we see fly alone; and they are but sheep which always herd together.

Philip Sidney
With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb'st the skies;
How silently, and with how wan a face.

Philip Sidney
Stella, think not that I by verse seek fame,
Who seek, who hope, who love, who live but thee;
Thine eyes my pride, thy lips mine history:
If thou praise not, all other praise is shame.

Philip Sidney
With a tale forsooth he [the poet] cometh unto you, with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney corner.

Philip Sidney
Nature never set forth the earth in so rich tapestry as diverse poets have done…her world is brazen, the poets only deliver a golden.

Philip Sidney
Open suspecting others comes of secret condemning themselves.

Philip Sidney
Laughter almost ever cometh of things most disproportioned to our selves, and nature. Delight hath a joy in it either permanent or present. Laughter hath only a scornful tickling.

Philip Sidney
There is nothing so great that I fear to do it for my friend; nothing so small that I will disdain to do it for him.

Philip Sidney
There have been many most excellent poets that never versified, and now swarm many versifiers that need never answer to the name of poets.

Philip Sidney
They are never alone that are accompanied with noble thoughts.

Philip Sidney
Poetry therefore, is an art of imitation…that is to say, a representing, counterfeiting, or figuring forth to speak metaphorically. A speaking picture, with this end: to teach and delight.

Philip Sidney
The many-headed multitude, whom inconstancy only doth by accident guide to well-doing! Who can set confidence there, where company takes away shame, and each may lay the fault upon his fellow?

Philip Sidney
Fearfulness, contrary to all other vices, maketh a man think the better of another, the worse of himself.

Philip Sidney
Often extraordinary excellence, not being rightly conceived, does rather offend than please.

Philip Sidney
Whatever comes out of despair cannot bear the title of valor, which should be lifted up to such a height that holding all things under itself, it should be able to maintain its greatness, even in the midst of miseries.

Philip Sidney
In the truly great, virtue governs with the sceptre of knowledge.

Philip Sidney
Every present occasion will catch the senses of the vain man; and with that bridle and saddle you may ride him.

Philip Sidney
The tip no jewel needs to wear:
The tip is jewel of the ear.

Philip Sidney
The heavens do not send good haps in handfuls; but let us pick out our good by little, and with care, from out much bad, that still our little world may know its king.

Philip Sidney
Doing good is the only certainly happy action of a man's life.

Philip Sidney
It is manifest that all government of action is to be gotten by knowledge, and knowledge best, by gathering many knowledges, which is reading.

Philip Sidney
He travels safe and not unpleasantly who is guarded by poverty and guided by love.

Philip Sidney
Our poor eyes were so enriched as to behold, and our low hearts so exalted as to love, a maid who is such, that as the greatest thing the world can show is her beauty, so the least thing that may be praised in her is her beauty.

Philip Sidney
As the fertilest ground, must be manured, so must the highest flying wit have a Daedalus to guide him.

Philip Sidney
To the disgrace of men it is seen that there are women both more wise to judge what evil is expected, and more constant to bear it when it happens.

Philip Sidney
Misery and misfortune is all one; and of misfortune fortune hath only the gift.

Philip Sidney
Self-love is better than any gilding to make that seem gorgeous wherein ourselves be parties.

Philip Sidney