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SIDNEY, Sir Philip Quotes
(1554-1586), English soldier and poet
In all exigencies or miseries, lamentation becomes fools, and action wise folk.
The truly great and good, in affliction, bear a countenance more princely than they are wont; for it is the temper of the highest hearts, like the palm tree, to strive most upwards when it is most burdened.
A noble heart, like the sun, showeth its greatest countenance in its lowest estate.
To be ambitious of true honor and of the real glory and perfection of our nature is the very principle and incentive of virtue; but to be ambitious of titles, place, ceremonial respects, and civil pageantry, is as vain and little as the things are which we court.
Ambition thinks no face so beautiful, as that which looks from under a crown.
I am no herald to inquire after men's pedigrees: it sufficeth me if I know of their virtues.
It is doing some service to humanity to amuse innocently; and they know very little of society, who think we can bear to be always employed, either in duties or meditations, without any relaxation.
Weigh not so much what men assert, as what they prove.— Truth is simple and naked, and needs not invention to apparel her comeliness.
Nothing sooner overthrows a weak head than opinion of authority; like too strong liquor for a frail glass.
Every base occupation makes one sharp in its practice, and dull in every other.
Doing good is the only certainly happy action of a man's life.
What is birth to a man if it be a stain to his dead ancestors to have left such an offspring?
Commonly they whose tongue is their weapon, use their feet for defense.
A true knight is fuller of bravery in the midst, than in the beginning of danger.
There needs not strength to be added to inviolate chastity; the excellency of the mind makes the body impregnable.
A brave captain is as a root, out of which, as branches, the courage of his soldiers doth spring.
Confidence in one's self, though the chief nurse of magnanimity, doth not leave the care of necessary furniture for it; of all the Grecians, Homer doth make Achilles the best armed.
Courage ought to be guided by skill, and skill armed by courage.—Hardiness should not darken wit, nor wit cool hardiness.—Be valiant as men despising death, but confident as unwonted to be overcome.
A churlish courtesy rarely comes but either for gain or falsehood.
Approved valor is made precious by natural courtesy.
The only disadvantage of an honest heart is credulity.
The general goodness which is nourished in noble hearts, makes everyone think that strength of virtue to be in another whereof they find assured foundation in themselves.
It many times falls out that we deem ourselves much deceived in others, because we first deceived ourselves.
It many times falls out that we deem ourselves much deceived in others, because we are first deceived ourselves.
Unlawful desires are punished after the effect of enjoying; but impossible desires are punished in the desire itself.
Base natures joy to see hard happen to them they deem happy.
Whether your time calls you to live or die do both like a prince.
There is nothing truly evil, but what is within us; the rest is cither natural or accidental.
Alexander received more bravery of mind by the pattern of Achilles, than by hearing the definition of fortitude.
Who shoots at the midday sun, though sure he shall never hit the mark, yet sure he is that he shall shoot higher than he who aims but at a bush.
All is but lip-wisdom which wants experience.
Men are almost always cruel on their neighbors' faults, and make the overthrow of others the badge of their own ill-masked virtue.
Fear is more painful to cowardice than death to true courage.
Be careful to make friendship the child and not the father of virtue, for many are rather good friends than good men; so, although they do not like the evil their friend does, yet they like him who does the evil; and though no counselors of the offence, they yet protect the offender.
There is nothing so great that I fear to do it for my friend; nothing so small that I will disdain to do it for him.
Take heed how you place your good will upon any other ground than proof of virtue.—Neither length of acquaintance, mutual secrecies, nor height of benefits can bind a vicious heart; no man being good to others who is not good in himself.
Some are unwisely liberal, and more delight to give presents than to pay debts.
In the truly great, virtue governs with a scepter of knowledge and wisdom.
The ingredients of health and long life, are great temperance, open air, easy labor, and little care.
Youth will never live to age unless they keep themselves in health with exercise, and in heart with joyfulness.
A noble heart, like the sun, showeth its greatest countenance in its lowest estate.
The only disadvantage of an honest heart is credulity.
Ungratefulness is the very poison of manhood.
In forming a judgment, lay your hearts void of fore-taken opinions; else, whatsoever is done or said will be measured by a wrong rule; like them who have the jaundice, to whom everything appearelh yellow.
The just, though they hate evil, yet give men a patient hearing; hoping that they will show proofs that they are not evil.
The end of all knowledge should be in virtuous action.
Some are unwisely liberal, and more delight to give presents than to pay debts.
Without mounting by degrees, a man cannot attain to high things; and the breaking of the ladder still casteth a man back, and maketh the thing wearisome, which was easy.
Malice, in its false witness, promotes its tale with so cunning a confusion, so mingles truths with falsehoods, surmises with certainties, causes of no moment with matters capital, that the accused can absolutely neither grant nor deny, plead innocence nor confess guilt.
There is no benefit so large that malignity will not lessen it; none so narrow that a good interpretation will not enlarge it.
When it shall please God to bring thee to man's estate, use great providence and circumspection in choosing thy wife. For from thence will spring all thy future good or evil; and it is an action of life, like unto a stratagem of war, wherein a man can err but once!
The mind itself must, like other things, sometimes be unbent; or else it will be either weakened or broken.
The many-headed multitude, whom inconstancy only by accident doth guide to well-doing!—Who can set confidence there, where company takes away shame, and each may lay the fault upon his fellow.
Every base occupation makes one sharp in its practice, and dull in every other.
Among the best men are diversities of opinions; which should no more, in true reason, breed hatred, than one that loves black should be angry with him that is clothed in white; for thoughts are the very apparel of the mind.
He travels safe and not unpleasantly, who is guarded by poverty and guided by love.
It is a great happiness to be praised of them who are most praiseworthy.
In forming a judgment, lay your hearts void of foretaken opinions; else whatsoever is done or said, will be measured by a wrong rule: like them who have the jaundice, to whom everything appeareth yellow.
Blasphemous words betray the vain foolishness of the speaker.
It is hard, but it is excellent, to find the right knowledge of when correction is necessary, and when grace doth most avail.
It is manifest that all government of action is to be gotten by knowledge, and knowledge, best, by gathering many knowledges, which is reading.
There is little hope of equity where rebellion reigns.
Either I will find a way, or I will make one.
How violently do rumors blow the sails of popular judgments!—How can one discern between the truth and truth-likeness, between shows and substance.
No sword bites so fiercely as an evil tongue.
What is mine, even to my life, is hers I love; but the secret of my friend is not mine.
It many times falls out, that we deem ourselves much deceived in others, because we first deceived ourselves.
Who will adhere to him that abandons himself?
Sin the mother, and shame the daughter of lewdness.
We become willing servants to the good by the bonds their virtues lay upon us.
The violence of sorrow is not at the first to be striven withal; being, like a mighty beast, sooner tamed with following than overthrown by withstanding.
Open suspecting of others comes of secretly condemning ourselves.
It is a lively spark of nobleness to descend in most favor to one when he is lowest in affliction.
A noble heart, like the sun, showeth its greatest countenance in its lowest estate.
They are never alone who are accompanied by noble thoughts.
Among the best men are diversities of opinion, which should no more, in true reason, breed hatred, than one that loves black should be angry with him that is clothed in white; for thoughts are the very apparel of the mind.
No sword bites so fiercely as an evil tongue.
He travels safe, and not unpleasantly, who is guarded by poverty, and guided by love.
In the clear mind of virtue treason can find no hiding place.
He that finds truth, without loving her, is like a bat; which, though it have eyes to discern that there is a sun, yet hath so evil eyes, that it cannot delight in the sun.
Doing good is the only certainly happy action of a man's life.
The truly valiant dare everything except doing any other body an injury.
Whatever comes out of despair cannot bear the title of valor, which should be lifted up to such a height, that holding all things under itself, it should be able to maintain its greatness, even in the midst of miseries.
Every occasion will catch the senses of the vain man, and with that bridle and saddle you may ride him.
In actions of life, who seeth not the filthiness of evil wanteth a great foil to perceive the beauty of virtue.
Vice is but a nurse of agonies.
In victory the hero seeks the glory, not the prey.
I willingly confess that it likes me better when I find virtue in a fair lodging than when I am bound to seek it in an ill-favored creature.
The only impregnable citadel of virtue is religion; for there is no bulwark of mere morality which some temptation may not overtop, or undermine and destroy.
I am no herald to inquire of men's pedigrees; it sufficeth me if I know their virtues.
Wickedness may well be compared to a bottomless pit, into which it is easier to keep one's self from falling, than, being fallen, to give one's self any stay from falling infinitely.
To those persons who have vomited out of their souls all remnants of goodness, there rests a certain pride in evil; and having else no shadow of glory left them, they glory to be constant in iniquity.
There is no man suddenly either excellently good or extremely wicked; but grows so, either as he holds himself up in virtue, or lets himself slide to viciousness.
When it shall please God to bring thee to man's estate, use great providence and circumspection in choosing thy wife. For from thence will spring all thy future good or evil, and it is an action of life like unto a stratagem of war, wherein a man can err but once.
My dear, my better half.
To the disgrace of men it is seen, that there are women both more wise to judge what evil is expected, and more constant to bear it when it is happened.
Youth ever thinks that good whose goodness or evil he sees not.
Youths will never live to age unless they keep themselves in breath by exercise, and in heart by joyfulness. Too much thinking doth consume the spirits; and oft it falls out, that while one thinks too much of doing, he fails to do the effect of his thinking.
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