Philip Sidney
Philip Sidney
Sir Philip Sidneywas an English poet, courtier, scholar, and soldier, who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. His works include Astrophel and Stella, The Defence of Poesy, and The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth30 November 1554
adversity heart tree
The truly great and good, in affliction, bear a countenance more princely than they are wont; for it is the temper of the highest hearts, like the palm-tree, to strive most upwards when it is most burdened.
sweet sleep light
Take thou of me, sweet pillowes, sweetest bed; A chamber deafe of noise, and blind of light, A rosie garland and a weary hed.
thinking giving charity
There is no dearth of charity in the world in giving, but there is comparatively little exercised in thinking and speaking.
growing-up exercise men
As in labor, the more one doth exercise, the more one is enabled to do, strength growing upon work; so with the use of suffering, men's minds get the habit of suffering, and all fears and terrors are not to them but as a summons to battle, whereof they know beforehand they shall come off victorious.
strong glasses opinion
There is nothing sooner overthrows a weak head than opinion by authority, like too strong a liquor for a frail glass.
natural courtesy made
Approved valor is made precious by natural courtesy.
heart thinking noble
The general goodness, which is nourished in noble hearts makes every one think that strength of virtue to be in another whereof they find assured foundation in themselves.
peace sleep insomnia
Come Sleep! Oh Sleep, the certain knot of peace, the baiting-place of wit, the balm of woe, the poor man's wealth, the prisoner's release, the indifferent judge between the high and low.
misery fortune misfortunes
Misery and misfortune is all one; and of misfortune fortune hath only the gift.
war spring men
When it shall please God to bring thee to man's estate, use great providence and circumspection in choosing thy wife. For from thence will spring all thy future good or evil; and it is an action of life, like unto a stratagem of war; wherein a man can err but once!
victory trifling trifles
Contentions for trifles can get but a trifling victory.
wise thinking dull
A dull head thinks of no better way to show himself wise, than by suspecting everything in his way.
gold sticks rotten
Gold can gild a rotten stick, and dirt sully an ingot.
education flying daedalus
As the fertilest ground, must be manured, so must the highest flying wit have a Daedalus to guide him.