WHEN IGNORANCE IS BLISS 'TIS FOLLY TO BE WISE. How bless'd am I In my just censure! in my true opinion!— Alack, for lesser knowledge!-How accurs'd, In being so blest!-There may be in the cup A spider steep'd, and one may drink; depart, And yet partake no venom; for his knowledge Is not infected: but if one present The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known Camillo was his help in this, his pander :- Remain a pinch'd thing; yea, a very trick WINTER'S TALE, A. 2, s. 1. WHEN VALOUR PREYS ON REASON, IT EATS THE SWORD IT FIGHTS WITH. ANTONY. I am satisfied. Cæsar sits down in Alexandria; where will oppose his fate. Our force by land Hath nobly held: our sever'd navy too Have knit again, and fleet, threat'ning most sealike. Where hast thou been, my heart?-Dost thou hear, lady? If from the field I shall return once more I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd, We'll yet do well. CLEOPATRA. my lord. Call all his noble captains to ANT. Do so, we'll speak to them; and tonight I'll force The wine peep through their scars.—Come on, my queen; There's sap in't yet. The next time I do fight, I'll make death love me; for I will contend Even with his pestilent scythe. [Exeunt ANTONY and CLEOPATRA. ENOBARBUS. Now he'll outstare the lightning. To be furious, Is, to be frighted out of fear: and in that mood, The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still, A diminution in our captain's brain Restores his heart: When valour preys on reason, It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, A. 3, s. 11. WHERE INEQUALITY EXISTS It fits THEN if he says, he loves you, your wisdom so far to believe it, As he in his particular act and place May give his saying deed; which is no further, Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal. Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain, If with too credent ear you list his songs; chaste treasure open Or lose Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister; HAMLET, A. 1, s. 3. WHERE NATURE HAS BEEN BOUNTIFUL FAITH SHOULD PRAY MORE URGENTLY. ROSALIND. What shall be our sport then? CELIA. Let us sit and mock the good housewife, Fortune, from her wheel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally. Ros. I would, we could do so; for her bene fits are mightily misplaced: and the bountiful blind woman doth most mistake in her gifts to women. CEL. 'Tis true: for those, that she makes fair, she scarce makes honest; and those, that she makes honest, she makes very ill-favour'dly. Ros. Nay, now thou goest from fortune's office to nature's: fortune reigns in gifts of the world, not in the lineaments of nature. CEL. No? When nature hath made a fair creature, may she not by fortune fall into the fire? AS YOU LIKE IT, A. 1, s. 2. WHERE THERE IS NO MERCY JUSTICE SOMETIMES DESCENDS ANGELO. We must not make a scare-crow of the law, Setting it up to fear the birds of prey, And let it keep one shape, till custom make it Their perch, and not their terror. ESCALUS. Ay, but yet Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, Than fall, and bruise to death: Alas! this gentleman, Whom I would save, had a most noble father. (Whom I believe to be most strait in virtue,) Or that the resolute acting of your blood Could have attain'd the effect of your own purpose, Whether you had not sometime in your life Err'd in this point which now you censure him, And pull'd the law upon you. ANG. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Escalus, Another thing to fall. I not deny, The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, That justice seizes. What know the laws, The jewel that we find, we stoop and take it, For I have had such faults; but rather tell me, ANG. ESCAL. Well, heaven forgive him! and forgive us all! Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall: MEASURE FOR MEASURE, A. 2, s. 1. |