Society and the World

Sweet, sweet, sweet poison for the age’s tooth.

Study is like the heaven’s glorious sun, That will not be deep-search’d with saucy looks; Small have continual plodders ever won, Save base authority from others’ books. These earthly godfathers of heaven’s lights That give a name to every fixed star, Have no more profit of their shining nights Than those that walk and wot not what they are.

Study is like the heaven’s glorious sun, That will not be deep-search’d with saucy looks; Small have continual plodders ever won, Save base authority from others’ books. These earthly godfathers of heaven’s lights That give a name to every fixed star, Have no more profit of their shining nights Than those that walk and wot not what they are.

I come to wive it wealthily in Padua.

He lives in fame that died in virtue’s cause.

Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge.

Who buys a minute’s mirth to wail a week? Or sells eternity to get a toy? For one sweet grape who will the vine destroy?

One for all, or all for one we gage.

Ill deeds are doubled with an evil word.

Be not thy tongue thy own shame’s orator.

Why, headstrong liberty is lash’d with woe. There’s nothing situate under heaven’s eye But hath his bound, in earth, in sea, in sky.

Conscience is but a word that cowards use, Devis’d at first to keep the strong in awe.

And thus I clothe my naked villany With odd old ends stol’n forth of holy writ, And seem a saint when most I play the devil.

This weak piping time of peace.

No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity.

Grim-visag’d war hath smooth’d his wrinkled front.

For how can tyrants safely govern home, Unless abroad they purchase great alliance?

Like one that stands upon a promontory, And spies a far-off shore where he would tread, Wishing his foot were equal with his eye.

And what makes robbers bold but too much lenity?

And what makes robbers bold but too much lenity?

Thou [Death] setter up and plucker down of kings. 3

That things ill got had ever bad success?

The smallest worm will turn being trodden on.

Small things make base men proud.