Philip Massinger Quotes

Such as ne'er saw swans May think crows beautiful.

Though the desire of fame be the last weakness Wise men put off.

Be wise; soar not too high to fall; but stoop to rise.

Virtue, thou in rags, may challenge more than vice set off with all the trim of greatness.

And, to all married men, be this a caution, Which they should duly tender as their life, Neither to doat too much, nor doubt a wife.

I had not to this time subsisted, but that I was supported by your frequent courtesies and favours.

Revenge, that thirsty dropsy of our souls, makes us covet that which hurts us most.

My dancing days are past.

But married once, a man is stak'd or pown'd, and cannot graze beyond his own hedge.

Patience, the beggar's virtue, shall find no harbor here.

Tis the only discipline we are born for; all studies else are but as circular lines, and death the center where they all must meet.

Let us love temperately, things violent last not.

You may boldly say, you did not plough Or trust the barren and ungrateful sands With the fruitful grain of your religious counsels.

Detraction's a bold monster, and fears not
To wound the fame of princes, if it find
But any blemish in their lives to work on.

Cheerful looks make every dish a feast, and it is that which crowns a welcome.

The soul is strong that trusts in goodness.

Like a rough orator, that brings more truth Than rhetoric, to make good his accusation.

Thou art figured blind, and yet we borrow our best sight from thee.

The over curious are not over wise.

Oh that thou hadst like others been all words, And no performance.

We have not an hour of life in which our pleasures relish not some pain, our sours, some sweetness.

Many good purposes lie in the churchyard.

They are only safe That know to soothe the prince's appetite, And serve his lusts.

Death hath a thousand doors to let out life: I shall find one.

To doubt is worse than to have lost; and to despair is but to antedate those miseries that must fall on us.

Giants in
Their promises, but those obtained, weak pigmies
In their performance.

What a seaOf melting ice I walk on!

Malice scorned, puts out itself; but argued, give a kind of credit to a false accusation.

He that doth public good for multitudes, finds few are truly grateful

I have play'd the fool, the gross fool, to believe The bosom of a friend will hold a secret Mine own could not contain.

Black detraction will find faults where they are not.

What can innocence hope for, When such as sit her judges are corrupted!

He is not valiant that dares die, but he that boldly bears calamity.

Pleasures of worse natures Are gladly entertained, and they that shun us Practice in private sports the stews would blush at.

Conscience and wealth are not always neighbors.

For any man to match above his rank is but to sell his liberty.

How sweetly sounds the voice of a good woman! It is so seldom heard that, when it speaks,it ravishes all senses.

What pity 'tis, one that can speak so well, Should in his actions be so ill!

Ambition, in a private man is a vice, is in a prince the virtue.

Nay, droop not, fellows; innocence should be bold.

From the king
To the beggar, by gradation, all are servants;
And you must grant, the slavery is less
To study to please one, than many.

True dignity is never gained by place, and never lost when honors are withdrawn.

This is the Jew that Shakespeare drew.

The good needs fear no law, It is his safety and the bad man's awe.

Petitions, not sweetened with gold, are but unsavory and oft refused; or, if received, are pocketed, not read.

Gold
the picklock that never fails.

One grain of incense with devotion offer'd
'S beyond all perfumes of Sabaean spices.

Without good company all dainties
Lose their true relish, and like painted grapes,
Are only seen, not tasted.

A willing mind makes a hard journey easy.

If you like not hanging, drown yourself; Take some course for your reputation.

Nor custom, nor example, nor cast numbers Of such as do offend, make less the sin.

0 summer friendship, whose flat-tering leaves shadowed us in our prosperity, With the least gust, drop off in the autumn of adversity.

I in my own house am an emperor, And will defend what's mine.

He that would govern others first should be master of himself.

A diamond, though set in horns, is still a diamond, and sparkles in purest gold.

He that knows no guilt can know no fear.

Ill news are swallow-winged, but what is good walks on crutches.

Virgin me no virgins! I must have you lose that name, or you lose me.

It is true fortitude to stand firm against
All shocks of fate, when cowards faint and die
In fear to suffer more calamity.