Tag: Ben Jonson

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

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

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

Those that merely talk and never think,

That live in the wild anarchy of drink.

Opinion is a light, vain, crude, and imperfect thing.

A good life is a main argument.

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.

Come my Celia, let us prove,

While we can, the sports of love;

Time will not be ours forever,

He at length our good will sever.

Spend not then his gifts in vain;

Suns that set may rise again,

But if once we lose this light,

‘Tis with us perpetual night.

Why should we defer our joys?

Fame and rumour are but toys.

Ben Jonson

So breaks the sun earth’s rugged chains,

Wherein rude winter bound her veins;

So grows both stream and source of price,

That lately fettered were with ice.

So naked trees get crispèd heads,

And coloured coats the roughest meads,

And all get vigour, youth and spright,

That are but looked on by his light.

Ben Jonson

Calumnies are answered best with silence.

Ben Jonson

Art hath an enemy call’d ignorance.

Ben Jonson