When love begins to sicken and decay, There are no tricks in plain and simple faith. Words before blows. What the gods delay, they not deny. We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers Deny us for our good; so find we profit, By losing of our prayers. When good will is shew'd, though 't come too short, The actor may plead pardon. Who seeks, and will not take, when once 'tis offer'd, Shall never find it more. Who does i' the wars more than his captain can, Becomes his captain's captain. In their best fortunes strong, but want will per jure The ne'er-touched vestal. Wisdom and fortune combating together, When we in our viciousness grow hard, (O misery on 't!) the wise gods seel our eyes, In our own filth dross our clear judgments; make us Adore our errors; laugh at us, while we strut To our confusion. When valour preys on reason, It eats the sword it fights with. Wishers were ever fools. *It should be borne in mind that it is Octavius Cæsar who says this; and, indeed always, in quoting Shakespeare for the purpose of applying his axioms, it should be remembered to what characters he assigns their utterance. Winning will put any man into courage. Weariness Can snore upon the flint, when resty sloth Who has a book of all that monarchs do, He's more secure to keep it shut, than shewn. When the mind's free, the body's delicate. When we our betters see bearing our woes, Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile. What's in a name? that which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet. Where unbruised youth, with unstuff'd brain, Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign. Wisely, and slow; they stumble that run fast. Who not needs shall never lack a friend; And who in want a hollow friend doth try, Directly seasons him his enemy. Words without thoughts never to heaven go. When sorrows come, they come not single spies, But in battalions. We cannot all be masters, nor all masters When remedies are past, the griefs are ended By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended. What cannot be preserv'd when fortune takes, Patience her injury a mockery makes. When devils will their blackest sins put on, They do suggest at first with heavenly shews. What wound did ever heal but by degrees? |