William Shakespeare
The jury passing on the prisoner's life may in the sworn twelve have a thief or two guiltier than him they try.Collection: Passing On
She's good, being gone.Collection: Sarcastic
O, what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do, not knowing what they do.Collection: Men
I will instruct my sorrows to be proud; for grief is proud, and makes his owner stoop.Collection: Grief
Rebellion in this land shall lose his sway, meeting the check of such another day.Collection: Land
Women are as roses, whose fair flower, being once displayed, doth fall that very hour.Collection: Women
It is not vain glory for a man and his glass to confer in his own chamber.Collection: Men
There is no vice so simple but assumes some mark of virtue on his outward parts.Collection: Simple
God defend me from that Welsh fairy, Lest he transform me to a piece of cheese!Collection: Angel
But most it is presumption in us when the help of heaven we count the act of men.Collection: Angel
He draweth out the thread of his verbosity finer than the staple of his argument.Collection: Fun
Give obedience where 'tis truly owed.Collection: Military
A harmless necessary cat.Collection: Cat
'Tis brief, my lord...as woman's love.Collection: Famous Love
All thy vexations Were but my trials of thy love, and thou Hast strangely stood the test; here, afore heaven, I ratify this my rich gift.Collection: Heaven
My charity is outrage, life my shame; And in that shame still live my sorrow's rage!Collection: Sorrow
Her virtues, graced with external gifts, Do breed love's settled passions in my heart; And like as rigour of tempestuous gusts Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide, So am I driven by breath of her renown Either to suffer shipwreck or arrive Where I may have fruition of her love.Collection: Passion
God bless thee; and put meekness in thy breast, Love, charity, obedience, and true duty!Collection: Charity
Fortune reigns in gifts of the world.Collection: World
Words, vows, gifts, tears, and love's full sacrifice, He offers in another's enterprise; But more in Troilus thousand-fold I see Than in the glass of Pandar's praise may be, Yet hold I off.Collection: Sacrifice
A woman moved is like a fountain troubled, Muddy, ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty.Collection: Women
Preferment goes by letter and affection, And not by old gradation, where each second Stood heir to th's first.Collection: Letters
Thus we play the fool with the time and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock us.Collection: Wise
If it be honor in your wars to seem The same you are not,--which, for your best ends, You adopt your policy--how is it less or worse, That it shall hold companionship in peace With honour, as in war: since that to both It stands in like request?Collection: War
A stirring dwarf we do allowance give Before a sleeping giant.Collection: Sleep
He that will have a cake out of the wheat must tarry the grinding. Have I not tarried? Ay, the grinding; but you must tarry the bolting. Have I not tarried? Ay, the bolting; but you must tarry the leavening. Still have I tarried. Ay, to the leavening; but here's yet in the word 'hereafter' the kneading, the making of the cake, the heating of the oven, and the baking; nay, you must stay the cooling too, or you may chance to burn your lips.Collection: Cake
Would the cook were o' my mind!Collection: Mind
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if me my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires: But if it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul alive.Collection: Offending
How many cowards whose hearts are all as false As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars, Who inward searched, have livers white as milk!Collection: Heart
The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover, Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank, Conceives by idleness, and nothing teems But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burrs, Losing both beauty and utility.Collection: Weed
The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark When neither is attended; and I think The nightingale, if she should sing by day When every goose is cackling, would be thought No better a musician than the wren. How many thing by season seasoned are To their right praise and true perfection!Collection: Thinking
Discomfort guides my tongue And bids me speak of nothing but despair.Collection: Despair
Let's teach ourselves that honorable stop, Not to outsport discretion.Collection: Honorable
The wound of peace is surety, Surety secure; but modest doubt is called The beacon of the wise, the tent that searches To th' bottom of the worst.Collection: Wise
If you love an addle egg as well as you love an idle head, you would eat chickens i' th' shell.Collection: Eggs
He that keeps not crust nor crum Weary of all, shall want some.Collection: Want
Fat paunches have lean pates, and dainty bits Make rich the ribs, but backrout quite the wits.Collection: Ribs
What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?Collection: Beef
My cake is dough, but I'll in among the rest, Out of hope of all but my share of the feast.Collection: Cake
Condemn the fault and not the actor of it?Collection: Actors
Fire that's closest kept burns most of all.Collection: Fire
A fool's bolt is soon shot.Collection: Fool
Methinks a father Is at the nuptial of his son a guest That best becomes the table.Collection: Father
The mind of guilt is full of scorpions.Collection: Mind
Shall I not take mine ease in mine inn but I shall have my pocket picked?Collection: Pockets
Courage mounteth with occasion.Collection: Memorable
My brain more busy than the labouring spider Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.Collection: Brain