Ben Jonson Quotes

Quotes about:

• To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.

  Ben Jonson

  Motivational, Wise, Communication

  Ben Jonson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ben Jonson (Illustrated)”, p.3209, Delphi Classics

  76 Copy quote

• There is no greater hell than to be a prisoner of fear.

  Ben Jonson

  No Fear, Hell, Prisoner

  45 Copy quote

• Drink today, and drown all sorrow; You shall perhaps not do it tomorrow; Best, while you have it, use your breath; There is no drinking after death.

  Ben Jonson

  Drinking, Sorrow, Use

  Ben Jonson, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher (1811). “The Dramatic Works of Ben Jonson, and Beaumont and Fletcher”, p.149

  9 Copy quote

• Books are faithful repositories, which may be awhile neglected or forgotten, but when they are opened again, will again impart their instruction.

  Ben Jonson

  Book, Faithful, May

  3 Copy quote

• True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in the worth and choice.

  Ben Jonson

  Friendship, Positive, Happiness

  'Cynthia's Revels' (1600) act 3, sc. 2

  59 Copy quote

• You learn nothing about someone by the way they win the fight, you learn everything about the way they lose and keep coming back.

  Ben Jonson

  Art, Fighting, Winning

  15 Copy quote

• 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.

  Ben Jonson

  Romantic, Food, Wine

  "To Celia" l. 1 (1616).

  42 Copy quote

• They, who know no evil, will suspect none.

  Ben Jonson

  Evil, Knows, Suspects

  "Every Man in his Humour".

  6 Copy quote

• For a man to write well, there are required three necessaries: to read the best authors, observe the best speakers, and much exercise of his own style.

  Ben Jonson

  Writing, Exercise, Men

  Timber: or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter (published 1640).

  3 Copy quote

• He who is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.

  Ben Jonson

  Inspirational, Art, Fool

  25 Copy quote

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

  Ben Jonson

  Imperfect Things, Light, Opinion

  Ben Jonson, Robert S. Miola (2000). “Every Man in His Humour: Quarto Version”, p.92, Manchester University Press

  3 Copy quote

• Wine it is the milk of Venus, And the poet's horse accounted: Ply it and you all are mounted.

  Ben Jonson

  Horse, Wine, Plies

  Ben Jonson (2014). “Epicoene or The Silent Woman”, p.63, A&C Black

  6 Copy quote

• Court a mistress, she denies you; let her alone, she will court you.

  Ben Jonson

  Mistress, Deny, Court

  'That Women are but Men's Shadows' (1616)

  10 Copy quote

• Memory, of all the powers of the mind, is the most delicate and frail.

  Ben Jonson

  Memories, Mind, Frail

  Ben Jonson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ben Jonson (Illustrated)”, p.3182, Delphi Classics

  30 Copy quote

• Force works on servile natures, not the free.

  Ben Jonson

  Nature, Force

  Ben Jonson (1756). “Works: Collated with all the former editions, and corrected with notes critical and explanatory”, p.29

  6 Copy quote

• Peace is never more than one thought away.

  Ben Jonson

  Peace, Harmony

  5 Copy quote

• What excellent fools religion makes of men.

  Ben Jonson

  Religious, Men, Religion

  Ben Jonson, Johanna Procter (1989). “The Selected Plays of Ben Jonson: Volume 1: Sejanus, Volpone, Epicoene Or the Silent Woman”, p.99, Cambridge University Press

  7 Copy quote

• Ambition, like a torrent, never looks back.

  Ben Jonson

  Inspiration, Ambition, Looks

  27 Copy quote

• The voice so sweet, the words so fair, As some soft chime had stroked the air; And though the sound had parted thence, Still left an echo in the sense.

  Ben Jonson

  Sweet, Echoes, Air

  'Eupheme' (1640) no. 4 'The Mind'

  61 Copy quote

• The dignity of truth is lost with much protesting.

  Ben Jonson

  Life, Losing, Dignity

  Ben Jonson (1756). “The Works of Ben. Jonson: The alchemist. Catiline, his conspiracy. Bartholomew Fair”, p.201

  22 Copy quote

• No man so wise that he may not easily err if he takes no other counsel than his own. He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.

  Ben Jonson

  Wise, Men, May

  12 Copy quote

• My thoughts and I were of another world.

  Ben Jonson

  World, Another World, My Thoughts

  Ben Jonson, William Gifford (1859). “The works of Ben Jonson”

  10 Copy quote

• Calumnies are answered best with silence.

  Ben Jonson

  Silence, Advice, Calumny

  'Volpone' (1605) act 2, sc. 2

  22 Copy quote

• To struggle when hope is banished! To live when life's salt is gone! To dwell in a dream that's vanished- To endure, and go calmly on!

  Ben Jonson

  Life, Dream, Struggle

  9 Copy quote

• Success produces confidence; confidence relaxes industry, and negligence ruins the reputation which accuracy had raised.

  Ben Jonson

  Relax, Ruins, Reputation

  35 Copy quote

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