Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson
Benjamin "Ben" Jonsonwas an English playwright, poet, actor and literary critic of the 17th century, whose artistry exerted a lasting impact upon English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours. He is best known for the satirical plays Every Man in His Humour, Volpone, or The Foxe, The Alchemistand Bartholomew Fayre: A Comedyand for his lyric poetry; he is generally regarded as the second most important English dramatist, after William Shakespeare, during the reign of James I...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth11 June 1572
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.
Sweet Swan of Avon! What a sight it were To see thee in our water yet appear.
Silence in woman is like speech in man.
Words borrowed of Antiquity do lend a kind of Majesty to style, and are not without their delight sometimes. For they have the authority of years, and out of their intermission do win to themselves a kind of grace-like newness. But the eldest of the present, and newest of the past Language, is the best.
Whom the disease of talking still once posses-seth, he can never hold his peace.
For he that once is good, is ever great.
The soul of man is infinite in what it covets.
Follow a shadow, it still flies you, Seem to fly, it will pursue: So court a mistress, she denies you; Let her alone, she will court you. Say are not women truly, then, Styled but the shadows of us men?
Cut Men's throats with whisperings.
Where it concerns himself, Who's angry at a slander, makes it true.
Sweet meat must have sour sauce.
To the old, long life and treasure; To the young, all health and pleasure.
One woman reads another's character Without the tedious trouble of deciphering
Vice Is like a fury to the vicious mind, And turns delight itself to punishment.