Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Francis Beaumont

English Playwright, Poet

"A guilty conscience is a hell on earth, and points to one beyond."

"If men would wound you with injuries, meet them with patience: hasty words rankle the wound, soft language, dresses it, forgiveness cures it, and oblivion takes away the scar. It is more noble by silence to avoid an injury than by argument to overcome it."

"The true way to gain much, is never to desire to gain too much. He is not rich that possesses much, but he that covets no more; and he is not poor that enjoys little, but he that wants too much."

"Faith without works is like a bird without wings; though she may hop with her companions on earth, yet she will never fly with them to heaven. "

"Interest makes some people blind, and others quick-sighted. "

"It is more noble by silence to avoid an injury than by argument to overcome it. "

"Let us have a care not to disclose our hearts to those who shut up theirs against us."

"All confidence which is not absolute and entire, is dangerous. There are few occasions but where a man ought either to say all, or conceal all; for, how little so ever you have revealed of your secret to a friend, you have already said too much if you think it not safe to make him privy to all particulars."

"Bad's the best of us."

"Bellario. Sir, you did take me up when I was nothing; and only yet am something by being yours. You trusted me unknown; and that which you were apt to conster a simple innocence in me, perhaps might have been craft, the cunning of a boy hardened in lies and theft: yet ventured you to part my miseries and me; for which, I never can expect to serve a lady that bears more honor in her breast than you."

"But what is past my help is past my care."

"Daisies smell-less, yet most quaint, And sweet thyme true, Primrose, first born child of Ver, Merry Spring-time's harbinger."

"Envy, like the worm, never runs but to the fairest fruit; like a cunning bloodhound, it singles out the fattest deer in the flock."

"Grace comes often clad in the dusky robe of desolation."

"Honor's a thing too subtle for wisdom; if honor lie in eating, he's right honorable."

"Kiss till the cow comes home."

"Let no man fear to die, we love to sleep all, and death is but the sounder sleep."

"Mortality, behold and fear! What a change of flesh is here! Think how many royal bones sleep within this heap of stones: here they lie, had realms and lands, who now want strength to stir their hands"

"My hard fortunes deserve not scorn; for I was never proud when they were good."

"My virginity, that from my childhood kept me company, is heavier than I can endure to bear. Forgive me, Cupid, for thou art god, and I a wretched creature: I have sinn'd; but be thou merciful, and grant that yet I may enjoy what thou wilt have me love!"

"Nose, nose, jolly red nose, and who gave thee that jolly red nose? Nutmegs and ginger, cinnamon and cloves; and they gave me this jolly red nose."

"Nothing's so dainty sweet as lovely melancholy."

"Of all the paths [that] lead to a woman's love Pity's the straightest."

"Oh, love will make a dog howl in rhyme."

"Our lives are but our marches to the grave."

"Plot me no plots."

"She's private to herself and best of knowledge whom she'll make so happy as to sigh for."

"The fool that willingly provokes a woman, has made himself another evil angel and a new hell to which all other torments are but mere pastime."

"The greatest attribute of Heaven is mercy."

"The true way to gain much, is never to desire to gain too much."

"There is a method in man's wickedness; it grows up by degrees."

"There's nothing that allays an angry mind So soon as a sweet beauty."

"Those have most power to hurt us, that we love."

"What things have we seen done at the Mermaid! heard words that have been so nimble and so full of subtile flame as if that everyone from whence they came had meant to put his whole wit in a jest, and resolved to live a fool the rest of his dull life."

"You are no better than you should be."