556

The evil of duelling.

You undergo too strict a paradox,

Striving to make an ugly deed look fair:

Your words have took such pains, as if they labour'd
To bring manslaughter into form, set quarrelling
Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,

Is valour misbegot, and came into the world
When sects and factions were newly born:
He's truly valiant, that can wisely suffer

The worst that man can breathe; and make his wrongs
His outsides; wear them like his raiment, carelessly;
And ne'er prefer his injuries to his heart,

To bring it into danger.

If wrongs be evils, and enforce us kill,
What folly 'tis, to hazard life for ill?

Stop the rage betime,

Before the wound do grow incurable :

27-iii. 5.

For, being green, there is great hope of help.

Compassion recommended to the proud.

558

Take physic, Pomp;

Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel,

22-iii. 1.

That thou may'st shake the superflux* to them,
And show the heavens more just.

559 The duty owing to ourselves and others.

Love all, trust a few,

34-iii. 4.

Do wrong to none; be able for thine enemy
Rather in power, than use; and keep thy friend
Under thy own life's key; be check'd for silence,
But never tax'd for speech.

11-i. 1.

I will chide no breather in the world, but myself; against whom I know most faults.

561

Imperfections belong to the best.
Thou art noble; yet, I see,

Thy honourable metal may be wrought

10-iii. 2.

* Superfluity.

From that it is disposed:* Therefore 'tis meet
That noble minds keep ever with their likes :
For who so firm that cannot be seduced?

562

Honourable causes need no oath.

What other oath,

Than honesty to honesty engaged?

Unto bad causes swear

29-i. 2.

Such creatures as men doubt: but do not stain

The even virtue of our enterprise,

Nor th' insuppressive mettle of our spirits,

To think, that, or our cause, or our performance,
Did need an oath.

Though it be honest, it is never good

29-ii. 1.

To bring bad news: Give to a gracious message
An host of tongues: but let ill tidings tell
Themselves, when they be felt.

30-ii. 5.

Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance only, Which your disease requires.

25-i. 1.

More than a wild exposure to each chance
That starts i' the way before thee.

28-iv. 1.

29-v. 1.

Since the affairs of men rest still uncertain,
Let's reason with the worst that may befall.

I charge thee fling away ambition;

By that sin fell the angels, how can man then,
The image of his Maker, hope to win by't?

* Disposed to.

Love thyself last; cherish those hearts that hate thee;
Corruption wins not more than honesty.
Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace,

To silence envious tongues. Be just, and fear not!
Let all the ends, thou aim'st at, be thy country's,
Thy God's, and truth's.

25-iii. 2.

How ill white hairs become a fool, and jester !

570

The danger of false accusation.
Take good heed,

19-v. 5.

You charge not in your spleen a noble person,
And spoil your nobler soul !

Out, idle words, servants to shallow fools!
Unprofitable sounds, weak arbitrators!

573

The advantage of sincerity.
Taunt my faults

25-i. 3.

13-ii. 2.

Poems.

With such full license, as both truth and malice
Have power to utter. O, then we bring forth weeds,
When our quick winds* lie still; and our ills told us,
Is as our earing.†

574

30-i. 2.

Things unavoidable not to be deplored.
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O'er your content these strong necessities;

But let determined things to destiny

Hold unbewail'd their way.

30-iii. 6.

575

Suicide.

You ever-gentle gods

To die before you please!

Let not my worser spirit‡ tempt me again

*The sense is, that man not agitated by censure, like soil not ven.

tilated by quick winds, produces more evil than good.

†Tilling, ploughing; prepares us to produce good seed.

Corrupt nature,-a depraved nature.

34-iv. 6.

If we shall stand still,
In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at,
We should take root here where we sit, or sit
State statues only.

577

Mildness to be used in differences.

25-i. 2.

That which combined us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,

May it be gently heard: When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murder in healing wounds: Then,

Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness* grow to the matter.

30-ii. 2.

Now, for the love of Love, and her soft hours,
Let's not confound† the time with conference harsh :
There's not a minute of our lives should stretch
Without some pleasure now.

30-i. 1.

May'st thou have the spirit of persuasion, and he the ears of profiting, that what thou speakest may move, and what he hears may be believed.

580

Ingratitude, how extinguished.

We sent to thee; to give thy rages balm,
To wipe out our ingratitude with loves
Above their quantity.

18-i. 2.

27-v. 5.

Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks
Best to preserve it.

582

Reason to be regarded.

Do not banish reason

For inequality: but let your reason serve

30-iii. 4.

To make the truth appear, where it seems hid;

And hide the false, seems true.

* Let not ill-humour be added.

Their refers to rages.

583

Praise to be bestowed seasonably.

Praise us as we are tasted, allow us as we prove; our head shall go bare, till merit crown it: no perfection in reversion shall have a praise in present: we will not name desert, before his birth; and, being born, his addition* shall be humble. 26-iii. 2.

We thought not good to bruise an injury, till it were full ripe.

585

Passion allayed by reason.

Be advised:

I say again, there is no English soul

More stronger to direct you than yourself,
If with the sap of reason you would quench,
Or but allay, the fire of passion.

20-iii. 6.

25-i. 1.

In those foundations which I build upon,
The centref is not big enough to bear
A schoolboy's top.

13-ii. 1.

This too much lenity

And harmful pity, must be laid aside.
To whom do lions cast their gentle looks?
Not to the beast that would usurp their den.
Whose hand is that the forest bear doth lick?
Not his, that spoils her young before her face.
Who 'scapes the lurking serpent's mortal sting?
Not he, that sets his foot upon her back.

The smallest worm will turn, being trodden on;
And doves will peck, in safeguard of their brood.

I love not to see wretchedness o'ercharged,

And duty in his service perishing.

*Title.

23-ii. 2.

7-v. 1.

ti. c. If the proofs which I can offer will not support the opinion I have formed, no foundation can be trusted.