Quote

I remember, the players have often mentioned it as an honour to Shakespeare, that in his writing (whatsoever he penned) he never plotted out a line. My answer hath been, would he had blotted a thousand.

Ben Jonson

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Ben Jonson
Age: 65 †
Born: 1572
Born: June 21
Died: 1637
Died: August 6
Actor
Literary Critic
Playwright
Poet
Writer
City of Westminster
Benjamin Jonson
Would
Thousand
Mentioned
Player
Whatsoever
Answers
Shakespeare
Lines
Hath
Often
Honour
Remember
Players
Penned
Writing
Answer
Blotted
Never
Line
Plotted

More quotes by Ben Jonson

Image
I know no disease of the soul but ignorance, a pernicious evil, the darkener of man's life, the disturber of his reason, and common confounder of truth.
Ben Jonson
Image
He threatens many that hath injured one.
Ben Jonson
Image
Poor worms, they hiss at me, whilst I at home Can be contented to applaud myself, . . . with joy To see how plump my bags are and my barns.
Ben Jonson
Image
I see compassion may become a justice, though it be a weakness, I confess, and nearer a vice than a virtue.
Ben Jonson
Image
It is less dishonor to hear imperfectly than to speak imperfectly. The ears are excused the understanding is not.
Ben Jonson
Image
Doing, a filthy pleasure is, and short And done, we straight repent us of the sport: Let us not rush blindly on unto it, Like lustful beasts, that only know to do it: For lust will languish, and that heat decay, But thus, thus, keeping endless Holy-.
Ben Jonson
Image
Reader look, not on his picture but his book.
Ben Jonson
Image
If men will impartially, and not asquint, look toward the offices and function of a poet, they will easily conclude to themselves the impossibility of any man's being a good poet without first being a good man.
Ben Jonson
Image
Court a mistress, she denies you let her alone, she will court you.
Ben Jonson
Image
Confound these ancestors... They've stolen our best ideas!
Ben Jonson
Image
All the wise world is little else, in nature, But parasites or subparasites.
Ben Jonson
Image
Of all wild beasts preserve me from a tyrant and of all tame a flatterer.
Ben Jonson
Image
No glass renders a man's form or likeness so true as his speech.
Ben Jonson
Image
A good man should and must Sit rather down with loss than rise unjust.
Ben Jonson
Image
I have no urns, no dusty monuments No broken images of ancestors, Wanting an ear, or nose no forged tales Of long descents, to boast false honors from.
Ben Jonson
Image
Were Guilt is, Rage and Courage doth abound.
Ben Jonson
Image
Our whole life is like a play.
Ben Jonson
Image
There is no bounty to be showed to such As have real goodness: Bounty is A spice of virtue and what virtuous act Can take effect on them that have no power Of equal habitude to apprehend it?
Ben Jonson
Image
And where she went, the flowers took thickest root, As she had sow'd them with her odorous foot.
Ben Jonson
Image
I perceive affection makes a fool Of any man too much the father.
Ben Jonson