Philip Sidney
Philip Sidney
Sir Philip Sidneywas an English poet, courtier, scholar, and soldier, who is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the Elizabethan age. His works include Astrophel and Stella, The Defence of Poesy, and The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth30 November 1554
knowledge action should
The end of all knowledge should be in virtuous action.
affection
No decking sets forth anything so much as affection.
feet weapons tongue
Commonly they must use their feet for defense whose only weapon is their tongue.
veterans-day spring roots
A brave captain is as a root, out of which, as branches, the courage of his soldiers doth spring.
confusion matter causes
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 innocen.
kindness gains courtesy
A churlish courtesy rarely comes but either for gain or falsehood.
knowledge rust rich
And thou my minde aspire to higher things; Grow rich in that which never taketh rust.
scoffing
...scoffing cometh not of wisdom...
sorrow violence firsts
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.
madness said
Anger, the Stoics said, was a short madness.
vain profanity betray
Blasphemous words betray the vain foolishness of the speaker.
tyrants license
A popular license is indeed the many-headed tyrant.
laughter joy tickling
Laughter almost ever cometh of things most disproportioned to ourselves and nature: delight hath a joy in it either permanent or present; laughter hath only a scornful tickling.
guests
Inquisitiveness is an uncomely guest.