<= Previous | June Issues Index | Next =>
Your Quotes for 11 June 2005 - Ben Jonson

Benjamin Jonson was born at Westminster, England on this day in 1572. His father died before Ben was born and his mother married a bricklayer. Jonson went "into trade", presumably laying brick, but soon departed for a life as a soldier in the Low Countries. After his return he joined the "Lord Admiral's Men," an acting company in London and soon was writing original plays. Unlike Shakespeare, with whom Jonson had both a friendship and rivalry, Jonson's plays several times landed him in jail, and his situation rose and fell with his reputation at court. As a result, much of his work was destroyed by order of the Crown and is lost to us.

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.

Of all wild beasts, preserve me from a tyrant; and of all tame, from a flatterer.

Talking and eloquence are not the same: to speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks.

The soul of man is infinite in what it covets.

Greatness of name in the father oft-times overwhelms the son; they stand too near one another. The shadow kills the growth: so much, that we see the grandchild come more and oftener to be heir of the first.

I know my state, both full of shame and scorn,
  Conceived in sin, and unto labor born,
Standing with fear, and must with horror fall,
  And destined unto judgment, after all.
     - All from Ben Jonson, 1572 - 1637

Would you like to see quotes like these in your mail tomorrow morning? Our 10,000 loyal subscribers hate to miss a day, perhaps you should sign up now! No cost or obligation, just be open to the enlightenment waiting for you among our 22,500+ quotes.